The United States has removed Syria from its list of countries barred from buying or importing American weapons, a significant step in Washington's steady warming of relations with the government in Damascus.
In a notice published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, the US Department of State said it was amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to take Syria off the list of nations subject to a policy of denial for licenses covering defense articles and defense services. Under the new framework, arms sales requests involving Syria will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The change takes effect on Thursday.
Decision was approved in August
The notice states that on August 19, 2026, the Secretary of State approved a new defense trade policy for Syria permitting the review of defense article and defense service transfers on a case-by-case licensing basis, and directed the department to codify the change through the ITAR amendment.
The move is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to unwind restrictions imposed during the decades-long rule of the al-Assad family, which ended when rebels ousted former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
President Trump eased some economic sanctions on Syria last year. In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio rescinded Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, and Washington announced in February that it planned to eventually reopen its embassy in Damascus, which has been closed since 2012.
With Syria's removal, seven countries remain subject to the US policy of denial for arms export licenses: Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Venezuela.
Syria's current president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has prioritized improving relations with Washington and winning relief from economic sanctions that he says are blocking the country's recovery after years of civil war.
Sources: Syria removed from US arms export ban list — Al Jazeera; US removes Syria from arms export ban — Arab News
In a notice published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, the US Department of State said it was amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to take Syria off the list of nations subject to a policy of denial for licenses covering defense articles and defense services. Under the new framework, arms sales requests involving Syria will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The change takes effect on Thursday.
Decision was approved in August
The notice states that on August 19, 2026, the Secretary of State approved a new defense trade policy for Syria permitting the review of defense article and defense service transfers on a case-by-case licensing basis, and directed the department to codify the change through the ITAR amendment.
The move is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to unwind restrictions imposed during the decades-long rule of the al-Assad family, which ended when rebels ousted former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
President Trump eased some economic sanctions on Syria last year. In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio rescinded Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, and Washington announced in February that it planned to eventually reopen its embassy in Damascus, which has been closed since 2012.
With Syria's removal, seven countries remain subject to the US policy of denial for arms export licenses: Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Venezuela.
Syria's current president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has prioritized improving relations with Washington and winning relief from economic sanctions that he says are blocking the country's recovery after years of civil war.
Sources: Syria removed from US arms export ban list — Al Jazeera; US removes Syria from arms export ban — Arab News
