Türkiye envoy hails US move to delist Syria from terror sponsors

Türkiye’s Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yilmaz said on Monday that Washington’s decision to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism paves the way for the country’s reintegration into the global community and marks a significant step toward regional stability.

Last obstacle removed

Yilmaz took to the social media platform X to praise the move, stating: “The last obstacle standing in the way of our friend and brother Syria’s integration with the world has finally been removed.” He noted that the delisting carries importance not only for Syria’s normalization and development but also for peace across the broader region. “I congratulate all parties that contributed to the decision,” he added, expressing hope that the step would bring benefit to the entire Syrian people and state.

Four-decade designation ends

Syria had maintained its place on the State Department’s terrorism list since 1979, sharing the designation with only Cuba, North Korea and Iran. The status imposed significant barriers on security assistance, financial transactions and foreign investment, according to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which confirmed that Damascus is no longer subject to prohibitions under the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations.

Diplomatic thaw

The delisting follows a period of warming ties between Washington and Damascus under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who made a historic visit to the White House last November—the first by a Syrian leader since the country gained independence in 1946. Al-Sharaa subsequently met with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh in May 2025, a gathering that occurred shortly before Washington lifted the Caesar sanctions that had long targeted the Syrian government.