Overview
- Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced that Ottawa delisted Syria as a state supporter of terrorism and removed Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham from Canada's terrorist entities.
- Canada maintained targeted sanctions on 56 Syrian entities and 225 individuals, while a general permit easing some economic restrictions remains in force through February 23, 2026.
- The move follows U.S. and U.K. delistings earlier this year, and comes as a United Nations Security Council delegation visited Damascus and engaged top Syrian officials this week.
- Interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa has expanded diplomatic outreach, including a White House visit and talks in Russia, as investment and reconstruction offers are publicized.
- Syria's foreign minister publicly welcomed Canada's shift, even as the country faces grave internal strains, with mass-casualty sectarian violence reported this year and stalled efforts to integrate Kurdish institutions.