Overview
- President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act, permanently repealing the 2019 Caesar Act’s broad sanctions on Syria.
- The law mandates reports to Congress every 180 days for four years to assess counterterrorism efforts, the removal of foreign fighters from government roles, and protections for religious and ethnic minorities.
- Damascus welcomed the move as a gateway to recovery, with President Ahmad al-Sharaa and the Foreign Ministry urging Syrians and foreign investors to take part in reconstruction.
- Central Bank Governor Abdulkader Husrieh said the repeal enables reintegration into the international financial system, including the pursuit of a sovereign credit rating.
- Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar praised the decision, while the United Kingdom introduced new targeted sanctions on individuals and groups it accuses of violence against civilians in Syria.