Switzerland has announced the lifting of a wide array of economic sanctions on Syria, including measures targeting the country’s central bank. The move follows a series of international steps aimed at supporting Syria’s recovery after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
In a statement released on Friday, the Swiss Federal Council confirmed that while targeted sanctions against individuals and entities closely associated with the former Syrian government will remain in effect, broader economic restrictions are being lifted to encourage a new phase of transition.
"The aim of this decision is to promote the country's economic recovery and an inclusive and peaceful political transition," the council said.
The latest development builds on Switzerland’s earlier easing of sanctions in March. With the new decision, the country is lifting bans on the provision of certain financial services, trade in precious metals, and the export of luxury goods. Additionally, 24 entities — including the Central Bank of Syria — have been removed from the Swiss sanctions list.
This move aligns Switzerland with recent actions taken by key international actors. The European Union officially lifted its economic sanctions on Syria at the end of May, following a similar policy shift by the U.S. Treasury Department earlier in the same month.
Switzerland’s announcement is being viewed as a significant diplomatic gesture in support of Syria’s post-Assad reconstruction process, and may pave the way for increased engagement by European and global financial institutions.
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U.S. President Donald Trump publicly pushed back against his Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday, asserting that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting intelligence assessments she shared earlier this year.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is unlikely to push Israel to end its airstrikes on Iran, calling it “very hard” to make that request while Israel is gaining ground militarily.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran will continue to defend itself unless Israeli strikes stop, following high-level talks in Geneva with the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany, and the European Union’s top diplomat.
Tajikistan and China have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, following high-level talks between President Emomali Rahmon and President Xi Jinping in Astana earlier this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used the platform of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to reinforce his vision of Ukraine as a neutral state aligned with Russia, warn of rising global conflict potential, and outline conditions for foreign firms to return to Russia.
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U.S. President Donald Trump publicly pushed back against his Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday, asserting that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting intelligence assessments she shared earlier this year.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is unlikely to push Israel to end its airstrikes on Iran, calling it “very hard” to make that request while Israel is gaining ground militarily.
Tajikistan and China have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, following high-level talks between President Emomali Rahmon and President Xi Jinping in Astana earlier this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used the platform of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to reinforce his vision of Ukraine as a neutral state aligned with Russia, warn of rising global conflict potential, and outline conditions for foreign firms to return to Russia.
The Kremlin said on Friday it could not predict whether Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump would meet in person this year, citing the increasingly unpredictable nature of global affairs.
U.S. President Donald Trump publicly pushed back against his Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, on Friday, asserting that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting intelligence assessments she shared earlier this year.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. is unlikely to push Israel to end its airstrikes on Iran, calling it “very hard” to make that request while Israel is gaining ground militarily.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran will continue to defend itself unless Israeli strikes stop, following high-level talks in Geneva with the foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany, and the European Union’s top diplomat.
Tajikistan and China have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, following high-level talks between President Emomali Rahmon and President Xi Jinping in Astana earlier this week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used the platform of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to reinforce his vision of Ukraine as a neutral state aligned with Russia, warn of rising global conflict potential, and outline conditions for foreign firms to return to Russia.
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