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US Relaxes Sanctions on Syria

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Monday that it was relaxing sanctions on Syria, at least on a temporary basis, initially specifying a six-month period

The announcement follows the sudden overthrow of the brutal Baathist regime of Bashar al-Assad by the Turkish-backed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) a month ago, on Dec. 8.

The HTS professes an ideology of Islamic extremism, and the U.S. had virtually no dealings with it prior to its takeover in Damascus. Indeed, when one Middle East journalist, expressing a regional conspiracy theory, suggested at a State Department briefing that the U.S. was behind the HTS’s takeover in Syria, the briefer dismissed the suggestion as “absurd.”

Thus, the U.S. is responding cautiously as the HTS consolidates its position in Damascus. The temporary relaxation of sanctions—as opposed to ending them entirely—is one way for Washington to maintain leverage in Syria.

U.S. Diplomat’s Visit to Syria Laid Groundwork

On Dec. 20, just 12 days after the fall of the Assad regime, Barbara Leaf, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, led a delegation to Damascus.

That trip marked the first appearance of U.S. diplomats in Syria since 2012, as she told reporters later on Dec. 20.

While in Damascus, she met with members of the new, interim HTS administration, including Ahmed al-Shara’a, who has headed the group since 2017.

Immediately after that meeting, the U.S. announced that it was dropping its designation of al-Shara’a as a terrorist, as well as the $10 million bounty that it had offered for information leading to his arrest.

Leaf also met with members of Syrian civil society, including the White Helmets, as the U.S. pushes for “a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that results in an inclusive and representative government, which respects the rights of all Syrians, including women and Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious communities,” as she told journalists.

Leaf also denounced “five decades of the Assad regime’s tyranny,” as she affirmed that Syrians now “have a rare opportunity to rebuild and reshape their country.”

“I was truly impressed by the resilience and perseverance of the Syrian people we met today,” she continued. “No one understands the challenges ahead better than they do themselves.”

Subsequently, a number of meetings were held between key international parties, both Arab and Western, and the new Syrian authorities. Notably, those meetings did not include the allies of the former Syrian regime, namely Iran and Russia.

On Jan. 1, Syria’s new Foreign Minister, Assad al-Shibani, led a delegation to Saudi Arabia, marking his first foreign trip in his new position.

On Jan. 3, the French and German Foreign Ministers visited Damascus, where they met with al-Shara’a, as well as Shibani.

Subsequently, Shibani announced that he would be visiting Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan.

U.S. Statement on Loosening Sanctions

On Monday, as the normalization of Syria’s foreign ties proceeds, the U.S. Treasury Department issued what it called “Syria General License (GL) 24),” loosening its restrictions on trade with Syria.

“This action underscores the United States’ commitment to ensuring that U.S. sanctions do not impede activities to meet basic human needs, including the provision of public services or humanitarian assistance,” the Treasury Department explained in a written statement.

“This authorization is for six months, as the U.S. government continues to monitor the evolving situation on the ground,” the statement continued.

“The end of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal and repressive rule, backed by Russia and Iran, provides a unique opportunity for Syria and its people to rebuild,” Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said in announcing the sanctions’ relaxation.

“During this period of transition, Treasury will continue to support humanitarian assistance and responsible governance in Syria,” he affirmed.

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