US Issues New Waiver Under Syria Sanctions Law
The U.S. has given Syria a new 180-day sanctions waiver under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 to help the war-torn country continue its rebuilding effort, the Office of Foreign Assets Control said Nov. 10.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
“The suspension halts the imposition of sanctions pursuant to the Caesar Act except for certain transactions involving the governments of Russia and Iran, or the transfer of provisions of Russian-origin or Iranian-origin goods, technology, software, funds, financing, or services,” OFAC said.
The waiver replaces the first Caesar Act waiver, which the Trump administration granted May 23 (see 2505230073). The new waiver, which was disclosed the same day Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House, is mentioned in an OFAC advisory summarizing the sanctions and export control relief that the administration has granted Syria.
The administration has urged lawmakers to repeal the Caesar Act, and legislation to do so is pending in Congress (see 2506200029 and 2510210004). "We must give Syria a chance and achieve a COMPLETE and TOTAL repeal of Caesar," Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, posted on X after meeting with al-Sharaa.
The OFAC advisory notes that the agency removed al-Sharaa, also known as Muhammad al-Jawlani, and Syrian Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab from its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list Nov. 7.
It also says the U.S. continues to review Syria's state sponsor of terrorism designation. President Donald Trump ordered the State Department on June 30 to conduct such a review (see 2506300055).
Other Syria restrictions that remain in place include sanctions on “the worst of the worst," such as former President Bashar Assad and his associates, human rights abusers, Captagon drug traffickers and other destabilizing regional actors, the advisory says. In addition, most Commerce Control List items going to Syria still require a U.S. export license.