Washington issues limited exemption to some sanctions imposed on Syria
The administration of US President Joe Biden, in it’s last days in office, issued a limited exemption to sanctions announced for some regional countries that provide support to the new Syrian government.
According to US officials, this exemption comes under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and includes countries such as Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the UAE, in addition to Ukraine.
Despite this partial relief, the United States still classifies Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, and hasn’t lifted any sanctions imposed on the former Syrian regime.
On the other hand, the US Treasury Department issued a special license on January 7, 2025, called GL 24, which aims to facilitate transactions related to basic services in Syria, such as the provision of electricity and water, in order to ensure that sanctions do not affect important humanitarian activities.
These steps come after years of sanctions imposed on Syria due to the repression of popular protests in 2011, which resulted in the outbreak of war in the country.
