The Trump administration is removing Syria from the list of countries barred from purchasing or importing U.S.-made weapons, marking another step in the gradual easing of sanctions against the new government in Damascus and its leaders.
In a notice published Wednesday in the Federal Register, the U.S. State Department announced amendments to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), eliminating Syria’s designation under the policy of denial that restricted licenses and approvals required for the export of U.S. defense equipment, weapons and munitions.
The policy change, which took effect on Thursday, means requests from Syria to purchase U.S. defense equipment will no longer face an automatic rejection and instead will be reviewed on an individual basis.
The move follows a broader effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to ease longstanding sanctions on Syria after the removal of former President Bashar Assad from power. In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, a decision that helped clear the way for further normalization measures and closer engagement with the current government in Damascus.
The State Department has also announced plans to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, which has been closed for 14 years. Following Syria’s removal from the ITAR list, only seven countries remain subject to the U.S. policy of denying licenses for arms exports: Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Venezuela.
Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader who led the overthrow of the Assad government nearly two years ago, has pursued a reform-oriented agenda that has received a positive response from the Trump administration.
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