The US has said that it lifted its long-standing blanket ban on arms exports to Syria, clearing the way for case-by-case reviews of defence sales and security services to Damascus.
“The Department of State is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to remove Syria from the list of countries subject to a policy of denial for licenses and other approvals,” the agency said in a public notice published in the Federal Register on Wednesday.
The administrative rule formally takes effect on Thursday.
The regulatory adjustment implements a decision authorised August 19 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who approved a revised defence trade framework permitting authorities to evaluate individual applications for military equipment and security service transactions bound for or originating in Syria.
The regulatory shift arrives as the Trump administration moves to normalise diplomatic and trade relations with Syria following the fall of Bashar al Assad’s government in late 2024.
Washington previously terminated comprehensive economic sanctions and removed Damascus from its State Sponsors of Terrorism list as part of a conditional engagement strategy with the new leadership headed by President Ahmed al Sharaa.
The Federal Register document is unpublished as of reporting at 1600GMT and is expected to be released on Thursday.
