Washington lifts last military restrictions linked to sanctions on Syria

The US State Department announced the lifting of the last two military restrictions on Syria under sanctions related to the Chemical Weapons Act, effective September 16. The decision is based on a previous order by President Trump in June 2025, citing a fundamental change in Syria's leadership. Meanwhile, Representative Joe Wilson criticized the continuation of export controls despite the removal of Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The US State Department announced the lifting of the last two military restrictions still imposed on Syria under sanctions related to the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. The step took effect on September 16, 2026, and the lifted restrictions concern arms sales and foreign military financing. The ban on the sale of defense materials and services was removed, and licenses for exporting items on the US Munitions List were made available. The decision is based on a previous order by President Donald Trump on June 30, 2025, which concluded a fundamental change in the leadership and policies of the Syrian government. On August 20, 2026, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Thomas G. Di Nanno concluded that lifting the two restrictions was necessary for national security interests. The decision does not mean concluding an arms deal or allocating military funding, but rather removes legal barriers. Concurrently, Representative Joe Wilson criticized the continuation of export controls a month after ending Syria's designation as a "state sponsor of terrorism," arguing that the continued restrictions harm American companies. The decision is part of a US path that began in 2025 to dismantle Syrian sanctions, including the repeal of the Caesar Act in December 2025 and the end of Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in August 2026.