The US Office of Foreign Assets Control’s archives the Syrian sanctions
In a development that hasn’t yet been officially announced, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has removed Syria from its list of active sanctions programs, according to the “Inactive and Archived Programs” section on the office’s official website.
Despite the absence of any official statement confirming this measure, the move carries significant political and economic implications, raising questions about the future of relations between Washington and Damascus, as well as its potential repercussions for the Syrian economy, which is already under significant pressure.
However, it’s important to clarify that designating some sanctions programs as “inactive” doesn’t necessarily mean the sanctions have been lifted or cancelled.
According to OFAC’s official website, archiving represents a technical procedure that is entirely different from formally ending sanctions, which hasn’t yet occurred with Syria.
As of the time of writing, no official comment had been issued by the White House or the US Treasury regarding this change.
This suggests that its likely part of a strategy to monitor international reactions or await further steps from the new Syrian government to ensure political and security stability before making final decisions.
According to experts, this move doesn’t mean any easing of sanctions or a change in US policy toward Syria, as basic sanctions, most notably those imposed under the Caesar Act, remain in effect and haven’t been amended to date.
