Qatar welcomes U.S. removal of Syria from terror list

Doha hailed the United States’ decision to remove Syria from its terror list, calling it a positive step towards stability in Syria and the wider region.Qatar has welcomed the United States’ decision to remove Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, calling the move a positive development that could support stability in Syria and the wider region.“The State of Qatar welcomes the United States’ approval of the decision to remove the sisterly Arab Republic of Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in an official statement on X on Tuesday.The ministry said the move would support efforts to achieve stability in Syria and the wider region, while advancing the political settlement process in line with international legitimacy.Doha also reaffirmed its support for Syria’s unity, sovereignty and independence, pledging to stand alongside the Syrian people in pursuit of security, stability and prosperity.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally announced the removal of Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism on Monday, following the completion of a mandatory 45-day congressional review period.The U.S. State Department also delisted armed militant group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.Syria had been on the list since 1979, when it became one of the countries designated under the State Sponsors of Terrorism programme.The removal followed a broader American policy shift towards Syria under U.S. President Donald Trump, including a June 2025 executive order directing the easing of sanctions and restrictions on Syria.Washington has since taken further steps towards restoring economic and diplomatic ties with Damascus.The move was made in “recognition of the positive actions taken and further commitments by the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa to fully distance Syria from acts of international terrorism,” Rubio said in an official statement on Monday.The designation had remained in place for nearly five decades, including throughout the rule of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the country’s civil war.“I extend my sincere thanks to the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, and to all the friendly and supportive nations that stood by us,” Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a video statement released in the early hours of Tuesday, thanking Trump and other countries that supported Syria’s moves towards reconstruction and development.