ICYMI: President Trump Lifts Syria Sanctions | Customs & International Trade Law Blog

On June 30, 2025, President Trump issued an Government Order formally terminating the Syria sanctions program, which had been in place for twenty years.  

The Government Order (efficient July 1, 2025) revoked the next six prior govt orders courting again to 2004:

Government Order 13338 of Might 11, 2004 (Blocking Property of Sure Individuals and Prohibiting the Export of Sure Items to Syria),
Government Order 13399 of April 25, 2006 (Blocking Property of Extra Individuals in Connection With the Nationwide Emergency With Respect to Syria)
Government Order 13460 of February 13, 2008 (Blocking Property of Extra Individuals in Connection With the Nationwide Emergency With Respect to Syria)
Government Order 13572 of April 29, 2011 (Blocking Property of Sure Individuals with Respect to Human Rights Abuses in Syria)
Government Order 13573 of Might 18, 2011 (Blocking Property of Senior Officers of the Authorities of Syria)
Government Order 13582 of August 17, 2011 (Blocking Property of the Authorities of Syria and Prohibiting Sure Transactions with Respect to Syria).

The revocation of Government Order 13338 ended the nationwide emergency that underpinned the next govt orders.

The Government Order additionally waived sure sanctions imposed by the Syria Accountability Act and the Chemical and Organic Weapons Management and Warfare Elimination Act.

On June 30, the U.S. Workplace of International Belongings Management (OFAC) took motion to implement the chief order by eradicating 518 beforehand sanctioned individuals and firms from the Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Individuals (SDN) Record, restoring their entry to U.S. monetary methods. 

The U.S. has had sanctions on Syria since 1979, when the U.S. designated it a state sponsor of terrorism. The U.S. expanded these measures in 2004 over Syria’s navy presence in Lebanon and once more in 2011 in response to President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on protesters.

Why Now

The revocation of sanctions fulfills a dedication Trump made throughout a go to to Saudi Arabia in Might to carry all sanctions on Syria. Saudi Arabia and Turkey have each pushed for the U.S. to take away the restrictions to facilitate reconstruction after the overthrow of the Assad regime in 2024. The transfer aligns the U.S. with current actions by the European Union and the U.Okay., each of which lifted financial sanctions earlier this yr.  

Some Sanctions Nonetheless Stay

Some sanctions can solely be eliminated by congressional motion. For instance, sanctions underneath the Caesar Act that concentrate on people, entities, and governments supporting the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad will stay in place. Syria additionally stays designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, which continues to limit funding and diplomatic engagement. Nevertheless, the chief order directed related businesses to look at these restrictions and assess what’s required to droop them.  

Focused sanctions stay in place in opposition to Bashar al-Assad, his interior circle, terrorist organizations, and entities linked to drug trafficking, chemical weapons, and Iranian proxies. 

You probably have questions on sanctions or export-related issues, contact Diaz Commerce Regulation right this moment at data@diaztradelaw.com or 305-456-3830.

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