President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US will lift sanctions on Syria.
The president made the announcement during his visit to Saudi Arabia. “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump told the audience, which erupted with applause.
President Trump announces he is lifting sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/y0Bu90eYEE
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BREAKING : TRUMP just announced he is removing sanctions from Syria
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Standing ovation pic.twitter.com/LWubupDxl9
Saudi Arabian King Mohammed bin Salman and others gave the president a standing ovation at the announcement.
The president indicated that this decision was influenced by his conversations with Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Oh what I do for the crown prince,” Trump joked.
Trump also had some pointed words for Iran, saying it “will never have a nuclear weapon.” But he did indicate he wished to make a deal with the regime. “The choice is theirs to make,” he said. “This is an offer that will not last forever, the time is right now for them to choose.”
The United States’ history of sanctioning Syria goes back to 1979, when it designated its government as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. The designation came in response to Syria’s support for terrorist groups such as Iran-backed Hezbollah.
President George W. Bush, in May 2004, imposed further sanctions on the Syrian regime in response to its occupation of Lebanon and support for terrorism.
The Obama administration expanded the sanctions after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. The president froze Syrian government assets in the US and prohibited new investments.
President Trump signed the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act in June 2020, which levied some of the harshest sanctions on Syria. It targeted several individuals and entities aligned with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
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