US plan to delist Syria tests opening after Assad’s fall
Washington’s move comes as Syria’s transitional government seeks foreign ties while facing attacks in Damascus and pressure from Israel.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
The Trump administration plans to remove Syria from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, Al Jazeera reported, marking a major step in Syria’s effort to end years of diplomatic and economic isolation. The move matters because Syria’s transitional government is trying to re-enter regional and international politics about 18 months after Bashar al-Assad’s government was overthrown.
Al Jazeera reported that Washington has already lifted sanctions on Damascus and is preparing to end a terrorism designation that has applied to Syria since 1979. The broadcaster said the shift comes as Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has traveled to countries in the region and to the United States while seeking broader engagement for the transitional government.
The opening does not mean Syria’s security problems have been resolved. Al Jazeera said the country continues to face security challenges, including twin attacks in the capital this month.
Israel is also adding pressure on the new authorities, according to Al Jazeera. The broadcaster reported that Israel has occupied additional territory in southwestern Syria since Assad was removed from power.
The question of Syria’s stability was the focus of a 28-minute Al Jazeera programme published on July 9, 2026. Presenter Per Nyberg hosted Omar Abu Laila, a political and Syrian affairs analyst; Robert Ford, a former US ambassador to Syria; and Khaled Batarfi, a political and Saudi affairs analyst.
The discussion followed a series of related developments covered by Al Jazeera. The broadcaster reported separately that the US had moved to delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, that Trump said he would remove Syria from that list, and that the chemical weapons watchdog restored Syria’s voting rights, citing progress.
The US designation has long limited Damascus’s access to international finance and diplomatic channels. Al Jazeera’s reporting framed Washington’s planned removal of Syria from the list as part of a wider attempt by the transitional authorities to shift the country away from isolation, while unresolved violence and territorial pressure continue to test that effort.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.