The United States has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, ending the country’s designation after nearly 47 years.
According to foreign media reports, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision was made in recognition of the Syrian government’s declaration that it had completely broken ties with terrorist groups.
The United States has also removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the former organization of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, from its list of designated international terrorist organizations.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani described the U.S. decision as a historic step.
He said the Syrian government would continue working to create an environment based on transparency, mutual interests and mutual respect.
The decision represents a major change in U.S.-Syrian relations and could help Syria improve its international diplomatic and economic position.
Syria and Israel Talks
The development comes shortly after Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani announced that Syria was suspending negotiations with Israel.
He said Syria’s immediate priority was to stop Israeli military actions before reaching any security agreement.
According to the Syrian foreign minister, negotiations with Israel could not continue under the current circumstances.
The U.S. decision to remove Syria from the terrorism list therefore comes at a significant time for the country as it seeks to reshape its relations with regional and international powers.
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