07-03-2025

Providing for the Revocation of Syria Sanctions

Executive OrderView the Original .pdf
View the Original .pdf

The 1-Minute Brief

What: Executive Order 14312, issued on June 30, 2025, revokes a wide range of U.S. economic sanctions against Syria. It terminates the national emergency that has been in place since 2004 and lifts restrictions related to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad, citing a fundamental change in leadership and policies under the new government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Money: The order itself does not appropriate new funds, but by lifting sanctions, it is expected to unlock significant economic activity. Rebuilding Syria's economy is estimated to cost between $250–400 billion. The order allows for the resumption of financial services and international bank transfers through SWIFT, which could facilitate the flow of capital and investment into the country. The U.S. has been the largest humanitarian donor to Syria, providing nearly $1.2 billion in FY 2024 and over $18 billion since the start of the conflict.

Your Impact: For the average American, the most likely direct effect will be minimal. However, the order opens potential opportunities for U.S. businesses in sectors like energy, technology, and construction to invest and operate in Syria. It may also impact the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East, which could have broader implications for U.S. foreign policy and national security.

Status: This Executive Order was signed by the President on June 30, 2025, and became effective on July 1, 2025.

What's Actually in the Bill

This executive order fundamentally reverses more than a decade of U.S. policy toward Syria. Citing the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024 and the "positive actions" taken by the new government, the order dismantles the legal framework for most sanctions. However, it maintains measures to hold the former Assad regime accountable for war crimes and human rights abuses and keeps counter-terrorism designations against groups like ISIS and al-Nusrah Front in place.

Core Provisions:

  • Terminates National Emergency: Effective July 1, 2025, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13338 of 2004 is terminated.
  • Revokes Previous Orders: It revokes six previous executive orders that formed the backbone of the Syria sanctions program (E.O. 13338, 13399, 13460, 13572, 13573, and 13582).
  • Expands Existing Sanctions: The order expands the scope of a separate national emergency (E.O. 13894) to specifically target members and supporters of the former Assad regime for human rights abuses, corruption, and illicit drug (captagon) trafficking.
  • Waives Legislative Sanctions: The President has determined it is in the national security interest to waive certain prohibitions under the Syria Accountability Act and the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act (CBW Act).
  • Suspends Caesar Act Sanctions: It directs the Secretary of State to assess whether to suspend sanctions required by the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which targets foreign entities doing business with the Assad regime.
  • Reviews Terror Designations: The order mandates a review of Syria's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and the terrorist designation of the new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani).

Stated Purpose (from the Sponsors):

The order states its purpose is to support a stable and peaceful Syria that does not harbor terrorists. The text asserts that the circumstances that justified the sanctions have been "transformed by developments over the past 6 months," specifically crediting the "positive actions taken by the new Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa." The policy aims to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals by removing sanctions without benefiting terrorist organizations or human rights abusers from the former regime.

Key Facts:

Affected Sectors: Energy, Finance, Technology, Construction, Transportation, and any industries that were previously prohibited from engaging in transactions with Syria.
Timeline: The primary revocations and waivers went into effect on July 1, 2025. The waiver of CBW Act sanctions becomes effective 20 days after being transmitted to Congress.
Scope: The order has a global scope, as it lifts "secondary sanctions" that previously penalized non-U.S. individuals and companies for dealing with Syria.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

Timeline of Events:

The Assad Era & U.S. Sanctions (1979-2024):

The U.S. first designated Syria a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1979. Following the 2003 Iraq war, the U.S. enacted the Syria Accountability Act, and in 2011, after the Assad regime's brutal crackdown on Arab Spring protesters, the Obama administration significantly tightened sanctions. These measures were designed to isolate the Assad regime, cutting off its access to resources. In 2019, the Caesar Act imposed sweeping secondary sanctions, targeting anyone, anywhere, who conducted business with the Syrian government, further crippling its war-torn economy.

The Fall of Damascus (2024):

In late November 2024, a rebel coalition led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda, launched a surprise offensive. The Assad regime's forces collapsed rapidly, and on December 8, 2024, rebel forces captured Damascus, ending 53 years of Assad family rule. Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. The leader of HTS, Ahmed al-Sharaa, became the de facto leader of Syria and was named interim president in January 2025.

Why Now? The Political Calculus:

  • New Reality on the Ground: The complete collapse of the Assad regime created a new political reality. The U.S. and its allies were faced with either maintaining crippling sanctions on a country now led by a different authority or engaging with the new government.
  • Humanitarian Crisis: With over 90% of the population in poverty and an economy in ruins, continuing broad sanctions was seen by some as punishing the Syrian people and hindering any chance of recovery.
  • Geopolitical Hedging: The new Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been presenting a more moderate image, vowing to protect minorities and focus on governance rather than transnational jihad. By lifting sanctions, the administration may be trying to pull Syria away from the orbits of Russia and Iran and encourage alignment with U.S. regional allies.
  • Encouraging Investment: Short-term sanctions waivers issued earlier in the year were deemed insufficient to attract the long-term investment needed for reconstruction, creating pressure for a more permanent policy shift.

Your Real-World Impact

The Direct Answer: This executive order directly affects U.S. companies and investors interested in the Middle East, as well as humanitarian organizations, but has a limited direct impact on most Americans.

What Could Change for You:

Potential Benefits:

  • Business Opportunities: For American companies in the energy, construction, and technology sectors, the lifting of sanctions opens a new, albeit high-risk, market for the first time in over a decade. A deal worth $7 billion has already been signed with a consortium including a U.S. holding company.
  • Lower Regional Instability (Potential): If the policy succeeds in stabilizing Syria's economy and integrating it with Western-aligned neighbors, it could reduce a source of regional conflict, which can indirectly benefit U.S. security interests.
  • Humanitarian Relief: Easing financial restrictions will make it easier for aid organizations to operate and for the Syrian diaspora to send remittances, potentially improving the humanitarian situation.

Possible Disruptions or Costs:

Short-term (6-18 months):

  • Geopolitical Uncertainty: The new Syrian government is led by a former U.S.-designated terrorist. This policy shift carries significant risks, and its failure could lead to renewed instability, a resurgence of extremist groups, or conflict with regional actors like Israel.

Long-term:

  • Legitimizing Former Extremists: The policy's success relies on the new Syrian leader's commitment to reform. If the government reverts to authoritarianism or supports extremist ideologies, lifting sanctions could be seen as having legitimized and empowered such a regime.

Who's Most Affected:

Primary Groups: U.S. and international companies in the energy and infrastructure sectors; Syrian-Americans with family and business ties to Syria; U.S. humanitarian and development organizations.
Secondary Groups: U.S. military and diplomatic personnel in the Middle East; defense contractors; and communities in neighboring countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey that host Syrian refugees.
Regional Impact: The order will have the most significant impact on Syria and its immediate neighbors. Certain U.S. states with large Syrian-American communities or companies specializing in relevant sectors may feel a more direct economic effect.

Bottom Line: This order removes major barriers to doing business in and providing aid to Syria, but its ultimate success and impact on American interests depend on the actions of a new and untested Syrian government.

Where the Parties Stand

Republican Position: "Cautious Engagement and Oversight"

Core Stance: Republicans are divided but generally support giving the new Syrian government a chance while demanding strict conditions and oversight.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ Many agree with lifting sanctions to provide President Trump with maximum flexibility and to give the Syrian people an opportunity for economic recovery.
  • ⚠️ Some influential Republicans, like Senator Lindsey Graham, urge caution, emphasizing the need for any sanctions relief to be coordinated with allies, particularly Israel, and tied to concrete actions by the new government.
  • ✗ Hardliners are skeptical of Ahmed al-Sharaa's transformation and are wary of removing all leverage without ironclad guarantees on counter-terrorism and human rights.

Legislative Strategy: Supporting the President's executive action while also pursuing legislation, like a bill from Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), that would codify the conditions for permanently lifting sanctions.

Democratic Position: "Support for Relief, With Human Rights Safeguards"

Core Stance: Democrats have shown rare bipartisan support for lifting sanctions to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, but insist on provisions to ensure the new government respects human rights.

Their Arguments:

  • ✓ Progressives like Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Sara Jacobs argue that sanctions have been hurting ordinary Syrians and that their removal is a necessary step for recovery.
  • ✓ Mainstream Democrats like Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Sen. Chris Van Hollen have applauded the move, stating that sanctions should not be permanent when circumstances change.
  • ⚠️ They strongly advocate for "snapback" provisions that would allow for the re-imposition of sanctions if the new Syrian government fails to protect minorities, release political prisoners, or engages in human rights abuses.

Legislative Strategy: Pushing for legislative action to permanently repeal sanctions while working to include amendments that tie relief to human rights and democratic progress.

Constitutional Check

The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional

Basis of Authority:

The President is acting under authority granted by Congress through several statutes, most notably the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the National Emergencies Act (NEA). The order also cites authorities from the Syria Accountability Act and the Caesar Act to waive or suspend sanctions.

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701): "[The President has] authority to deal with any unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States, if the President declares a national emergency with respect to such threat."

Constitutional Implications:

[Executive Power]: The President's actions fall within the broad foreign policy and national security powers delegated to the executive branch by Congress. IEEPA gives the President the authority to both impose and lift economic sanctions in response to a declared national emergency. By terminating the 2004 emergency, the President is using the powers granted in the NEA.
[Precedent]: Presidents have long used executive orders based on IEEPA to manage sanctions regimes against various countries. The revocation of sanctions and the termination of a national emergency when the underlying conditions change is a standard and well-established practice.
[Federalism]: This action pertains exclusively to foreign policy and international commerce, which are areas of federal authority. It does not overstep into powers reserved for the states.

Potential Legal Challenges:

Legal challenges to the executive order itself are unlikely to succeed, given the broad authority granted by Congress in this area. However, political and legislative challenges are more probable. Congress could pass new legislation to reinstate certain sanctions or impose new conditions. Additionally, if the administration's review leads to the delisting of Ahmed al-Sharaa as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," this could face significant political and potentially legal opposition from families of terror victims or members of Congress who believe he still meets the statutory criteria for designation.

Your Action Options

TO SUPPORT THIS BILL

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to support Executive Order 14312 and the lifting of sanctions on Syria to aid its recovery."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Detailed Email: Contact members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee to express support for economic engagement with the new Syrian government.
  • Join an Organization: Groups like the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity and other humanitarian NGOs advocate for policies that support the Syrian people's recovery.

TO OPPOSE THIS BILL

5-Minute Actions:

  • Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to oppose Executive Order 14312 until the new Syrian government meets clear human rights and counter-terrorism benchmarks."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

  • Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local newspaper expressing concern that the order removes leverage to ensure the new Syrian government does not repeat the abuses of the past.
  • Join an Organization: Advocacy groups like the Syrian Emergency Task Force and others have expressed concern about lifting sanctions prematurely and without sufficient guarantees.