Syria shakes off past with removal from US terror list, says president

DAMASCUS: Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa hailed on Tuesday the United States' removal of his country from the state sponsors of terror list, a major sanctions relief step for a country aiming to boost post-war reconstruction. 'Today, Syria shakes off a dark stain and tears away a painful chapter of its past to embark on a path of development, reconstruction and rebuilding,' Sharaa said in a speech. Washington's decision rescinded a decades-old designation that came with severe economic restrictions, marking another step in warming ties between the countries.
Sharaa expressed his 'many thanks to the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and to all the friendly and supportive nations that stood by us'. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that Monday's move 'will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability'. But the Treasury stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria 'does not change Treasury's posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable'.
Sharaa and his government have been working to mend ties with Washington and have been trying to attract foreign investment to support post-war reconstruction. — AFP