The United States has temporarily eased sanctions on Syria.
The Department of the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a general license (GL) 24 for Syria, valid for six months, which removes sanctions from transactions with government agencies in Syria that were concluded after December 8th, 2024. These include transactions related to energy resources such as oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and electricity, as well as personal transfers of money to Syria, even through third countries.
“The end of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal and repressive rule, backed by Russia and Iran, provides a unique opportunity for Syria and its people to rebuild,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Wally Adeyemo.
The license was issued in response to the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria on December 8, 2024. Bashar Al-Assad is the son of Hafez Al-Assads who assumed power in 1970. He is currently 59 years old and ruled from 2000-2024, after assuming the position of head of state following an uncountermandable referendum.
After the opposition’s offensive, Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, where the country’s authorities granted him asylum.
The main part of sanctions against Syria was imposed by the United States, Canada and Australia in 2011, after the repression of civilians by the Syrian government during the civil war.
Now, not only the US, but also the EU are establishing relations with the new Syrian government. On January 3rd, the new leaders of the country met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot in Syria.
“The painful chapter of the Assads’ rule has ended. A new chapter has opened, but has not yet been written,” said Annalena Baerbock.
