Damascus, July 15 (SANA) The United States’ decision to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism marks a major turning point that will encourage foreign investment, deepen international engagement and support the country’s economic recovery, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf said.
In an exclusive interview with SANA, Leaf described the move as “hugely significant,” saying it carries both political and practical implications as it removes the final remaining measure from decades of U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria.
“As you know, this was the very last piece of sanctions and the oldest sanction on Syria,” she said. “It was the last sanction left of the U.S. collection of sanctions that had been imposed on Syria over the course of decades.”
Leaf said removing the designation ends a long-standing stigma that has accompanied Syria since it was placed on the list in 1979 and removes one of the main barriers discouraging governments, businesses and investors from engaging with the country.
“There is also the practical effect that business people and investors no longer have to fear they will be pursued by the United States for criminal liability” for doing business with Syrian public or private entities, she said.
Leaf credited Syria’s leadership with rebuilding confidence among international partners and neighboring countries through a highly successful diplomatic effort since December 2024.
“The Syrian leadership and President Ahmad al-Sharaa himself have made a hugely successful effort” to regain the trust of international partners, neighboring countries, Europe and the United States, she said, adding that diplomacy had gone “a long way toward rehabilitating Syria’s international image and relations.”
She said the lifting of U.S. sanctions, together with the repeal of the Caesar Act and similar European measures, completes Syria’s reintegration into the regional and international community.
“This final sanction is therefore highly significant,” Leaf said, describing it as the final remaining measure in the decades-old U.S. sanctions regime imposed on Syria.
Leaf also said the decision opens the door to rebuilding ties between the Syrian and American people after decades of limited engagement.
“It opens the door to flourishing people-to-people relations that really have not existed between the United States and Syria for decades,” she said, pointing to opportunities for expanded university partnerships, civil society cooperation and joint development initiatives.
On the economic impact, Leaf said the decision removes major legal and financial obstacles facing international investors, banks and financial service providers interested in operating in Syria.
“It removes the fear of prosecution for potential investors, bankers and financial service providers,” she said. “But there is now a great deal for the government to do to create an attractive environment for investment and economic activity.”
She stressed that Syria would need to continue modernizing its legislative and regulatory framework, including laws governing investment, financial services and the banking sector, to strengthen the country’s competitiveness and attract both domestic and foreign investment.
Addressing the legal process in Washington, Leaf said President Donald Trump formally initiated Syria’s removal from the terrorism list on July 8 by notifying Congress that the Syrian government no longer supports terrorism.
She explained that the notification triggered a 45-day congressional review period, after which the decision takes effect if no objections are raised.
“Congress faces a very high threshold if it seeks to reverse the president’s action,” she said, noting that overturning the decision would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress. “The process is not finished, but this is a very important first step.”
Leaf said Syria’s recovery would have implications well beyond its borders, describing the country’s stability as central to the broader Middle East.
“I’ve always thought of Syria as the keystone in the arch of regional security,” she said, stressing that Syria’s stability and security will have measurable positive effects across the wider region.
On July 8, President Ahmad al-Sharaa received a written message from U.S. President Donald Trump informing him that Washington had formally notified Congress of its decision to begin the process of removing Syria from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, initiating the 45-day legal review period before the decision can take final effect.
N.J/ABD
