Syria is at a crossroads. In December 2024, the Assad regime that had ruled the country for 50 years was toppled by a rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist militia, and replaced by a transitional government led by its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Despite its promises of change that make Western countries skeptically hopeful, including respecting the rights of all the country’s diverse religious and ethic groups, many are now pointing to existing sanctions as major roadblocks to Syria’s road to success. It does not help that HTS, which find its roots in Al-Qaeda, is designated as a terrorist orgnaization. Below are major sanctions currently imposed on Syria:
United States: U.S. designated Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. The U.S. has sanctioned the Syrian government, including the Central Bank of Syria, senior Syrian government officials, and individuals and entities supporting the Assad regime and/or responsobile for human rights abuses in Syria. The U.S. has also prohibited the exportation of services to Syria, and there have long been legal restrictions on what goods U.S. persons can export to Syria. The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 include secondary sanctions that prohibit third-country individuals and companies from providing support to the Syrian government to further its acts of serious human rights abuses. It was recently reported that the U.S. offered partial sanctions releif on the conditions of Syria’s destruction of any remaining chemical weapons stores, coopereation on counter-terrorism, and making sure foreign fighters are not installed in senior government roles.
United Nations: U.N. Resolution 1636 (2005) prevents the entry and transit of and also freezes the assets of Syrian government officials involved in the February 14, 2005, terrorist bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, part of anti-Syria opposition, was assassinated in a suicide truck bomb explosion done by Hezbollah, which resulted in a popular movement that forced the withdrawal of Syrian troops in Lebanon.
European Union: The EU adopted in the timeframe of 2012-2013 against the systematic violations of human rights in Syria, the restrictive measures targeting Syrian individuals and entities supporting the Assad regime include arms import, asset freeze, financial measures, inspections, and trades in certain items. In response to the political transition in Syria, the Council of the EU decided to suspend a number of restrictive measures in key areas of energy, transport, and finance on February 24, 2025, while measures on other sectors are still in place.
United Kingdom: The “Exiting the European Union Sanctions – The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019” encompasses financial sanctions (including asset freeze, investment and financial services), director disqualifications, trade sanctions (oil, military and monitoring goods, crude oil and petroleum products, aviation fuel, Syrian bank notes or coinage, gold and previous metals, etc.), immigration sanctions/travel ban, transport sanctions (aircraft landing). On March 6, 2025, the UK has lifted freezes on 24 Syrian entities that were previously used by the Assad regime to fund the oppression of the Syrian people, including the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Arab Airlines, and energy companies.