The US Treasury on Monday said it is removing Syria from its sanctions list, officially allowing American companies to do business with Damascus.
Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) said the change would take effect on Tuesday, August 26. It means that sanctions dating back to 2004 and reissued over the course of Syria's civil war will be lifted.
The move follows the collapse of the Bashar Al Assad regime in December after a lightning offensive by groups led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham. HTS leader Ahmad Al Shara was chosen as transitional president.
US President Donald Trump in June ordered the lifting of sanctions against Syria.
Ofac “is removing from the Code of Federal Regulations the Syrian Sanctions Regulations as a result of the termination of the national emergency on which the regulations were based and further changes to the policy of the United States towards Syria”, the Treasury said.
In order for all US sanctions to be lifted, Congress still needs to repeal the 2019 Caesar Act. Politicians are currently on their summer break but are expected to work on the issue when they return to Washington next month.
Caesar sanctions are currently waived for a 180-day period.
The announcement comes after a bipartisan congressional delegation, accompanied by US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, met Mr Al Shara and other leaders in Damascus.
The delegation discussed "the progress that has been made on the security situation and other US priorities within Syria", according to Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who also met "multi-ethnic and multi-faith religious leaders, and civil society representatives at a peace and dialogue conference" during the visit.
"Today’s meeting with leaders from many faiths was a testament to the Syrian people’s common cause: a country free from violence where people of many backgrounds can work together towards a brighter future," Ms Shaheen said.
"A Syria that can stand on its own after ridding itself of the Assad regime will be a cornerstone for regional stability in the Middle East. America is ready to be a partner to a new Syria that moves in the right direction. I will keep fighting for lasting peace and prosperity.”
