The United States extends the state of emergency in Syria and imposes additional sanctions
The US administration has extended the current state of emergency in Syria for an additional year, while continuing to impose sanctions and measures against the Syrian government.
The US sanctions on Syria includes freezing the assets of some individuals, as well as banning some types of US goods and services to Syria.
“In accordance with Section 202 of the National Emergency Act, I am renewing for a year the state of national emergency with respect to the Syrian government,” US President Joe Biden said in an official statement.
Biden added that the United States would look at the Syrian government’s actions to determine whether to continue or end the national emergency in the future.
This US administration decision comes days after the Arab League announced the return of Syria to its seat.
While its membership has been suspended since 2011 after the outbreak of war in the country.
The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said that the Syrian president may attend the Arab League summit scheduled in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this month, “if he wishes to do so”.
The Biden administration criticized the Arab League’s decision, “We don’t believe that Syria deserves readmission to the Arab League at this time,” according the US state department.
On the other hand, members of Congress from both parties have taken a harder line, urging the Biden administration to use sanctions in an effort to prevent normalization with Syria.
