Trump will remove Syria from the US list of countries sponsoring terrorism
By Gram Slattery and Bo Erickson and Steve Holland
ANKARA/WASHINGTON, 8 Jul (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump informed his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Wednesday that he had decided to remove the country from the US list of states designated as sponsors of terrorism.
"I promised to remove all barriers that prevent you from rebuilding your country, and very soon, you will finally be able to do so," Trump wrote in a letter to Sharaa, seen by Reuters.
"We have U.S. companies ready to invest in Syria and help make your country greater and more prosperous than ever," he added in the letter, which a senior U.S. government official said was delivered to Sharaa following their meeting in Ankara on Wednesday.
Trump said he has notified Congress, which will now conduct a 45-day review before the decision can take effect.
Designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism entails restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, exports of defense materials, and certain financial transactions.
The president of Syria's central bank, Safwat Raslan, said the US move opens new prospects for investment, economic recovery and Syria's reintegration into the global economy, according to a post on Telegram.
Last year, Trump signed an executive order that ended a US sanctions program against Syria, allowing the country's isolation from the international financial system to end.
Several Saudi companies are planning billion-dollar investments as part of Riyadh's efforts to support the country's recovery, while other Gulf countries have also pledged financial assistance.
Trump on Wednesday praised Sharaa, who was commander of al-Qaeda's Nusra Front in Syria before severing ties with the group in 2016. He then led a coalition of Islamist rebel factions in late 2024 to topple Assad.
Trump encouraged Sharaa's actions against the Islamic State militant group in the region.
"He is respected by everyone, including me," Trump said.
(Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Costas Pitas and Menna Alaa El-Din)
Source: Antena 1