Türkiye's Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yılmaz announced that the process of removing Syria from the US State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism has reached its final stage.
In a statement on Saturday evening, Yılmaz said the remaining sanctions imposed on Syria would be lifted once the decision was made. He said the step would lead to significant improvements, particularly in the finance and insurance sectors, and pave the way for foreign investment.
Airstrikes in Idlib
Yılmaz said the latest attacks on Abu Zuhur Military Air Base in Idlib should be viewed as provocations intended to obstruct the process.
Israeli aircraft carried out eight airstrikes against the runway of Abu Zuhur Military Air Base in Idlib province in northwestern Syria at dawn last Tuesday. The attacks damaged the airport's infrastructure.
Yılmaz said stability in Syria would bring stability to the entire region, adding that efforts by actors who thrive on chaos to obstruct the process would not succeed.
US decision on the list
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced at the beginning of July that the administration of US President Donald Trump had formally notified Congress of its intention to remove Syria from the classification of state sponsors of terrorism.
The US placed Syria on the list during the era of former President Hafez Assad, citing repeated support for groups that Washington classified as terrorist organizations.
Most sanctions on Syria were lifted after the Bashar Assad government was overthrown at the end of 2024, but Syria remained on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. The classification is regarded as one of the main obstacles to the country's economic recovery.
In addition to its political consequences, the list entails broad legal and financial sanctions. The classification restricts most US aid, bans exports of weapons and military equipment, and tightens controls on dual-use goods that can serve civilian or military purposes.
