President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday formally ending U.S. sanctions on Syria, in a major foreign policy reversal that follows a series of diplomatic overtures between Washington and Damascus.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision was intended to “promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace”. While the general sanctions regime will be lifted, targeted restrictions will remain in place against former President Bashar al-Assad, his associates, and others involved in rights abuses, chemical weapons activity and terror operations.
“This is another promise made and promise kept,” Leavitt told reporters, referring to Trump’s remarks during his visit to Saudi Arabia last month.
The move follows the Biden-era sanctions carve-out granted in May, which eased restrictions on certain transactions. Trump had used that opening to push forward on a broader rollback of punitive measures imposed during Syria’s long civil war.
During a landmark meeting in Riyadh on 14 May, Trump met interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa for the first time. He pledged to lift sanctions and explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic ties — a step not seen in U.S. policy toward Syria for decades.
The encounter came a day after Trump addressed the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, calling the sanctions “crushing and counterproductive”.
The European Union has also announced plans to lift nearly all of its remaining sanctions on Syria, aligning with the U.S. shift.
Al-Sharaa, who now leads a transitional government following the flight of Bashar al-Assad to Russia in December 2024, has vowed to end Syria’s isolation and rebuild relations with former adversaries. Assad's departure marked the fall of the Baathist regime that had held power since 1963.
The executive order is expected to take effect immediately upon signing.
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul s...
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deep...
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment