Istanbul / Anadolu

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Thursday the United States' announcement of beginning procedures to delist Syria as a 'state sponsor of terrorism'.

The Kingdom said in a statement from its Foreign Ministry that it 'welcomes the US announcement of beginning procedures to cancel the designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, under which it was listed in 1979.'

It reiterated 'its support for all positive steps taken by the Syrian government to achieve its security and stability, contribute to building state institutions, and fulfill the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people towards a more stable and prosperous Syria.'

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that President Donald Trump officially notified Congress of his administration's intention to delist Syria as a 'state sponsor of terrorism,' after the 45-day advance notice period required by law.

Rubio added in a statement that 'this is another historic step taken by President Trump to give the Syrian people a chance to achieve a better future.'

Meanwhile, Syria welcomed the announcement, describing it as 'an important development in the course of relations between the two countries, based on dialogue and mutual respect,' according to a statement from its Foreign Ministry.

The United States placed Syria on the 'list of state sponsors of terrorism' during the era of former President Hafez al-Assad (1971-2000), on the grounds that it repeatedly provided support to groups Washington designates as 'terrorist.'

Washington's initiation of removing Damascus from this list comes after Trump met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday on the sidelines of their participation in the NATO summit, where the US president announced his intention to proceed with this step.

Despite the lifting of most sanctions on Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime at the end of 2024, the country remains on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism since 1979, which US and Syrian experts and officials consider one of the most prominent remaining challenges to the recovery of the Syrian economy.

Syria's inclusion on that list is not limited to its political dimension, but also entails extensive legal and financial sanctions that directly affect the state and its economy.

The designation imposes restrictions on most forms of US aid, bans the export of weapons and military equipment, and tightens restrictions on dual-use goods that can be used for civilian or military purposes.

The listing also exacerbates the isolation of the Syrian banking sector, as US and international banks fear dealing with Syrian entities due to the risk of secondary sanctions.