Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss regional developments and strategies for reviving the Syrian economy, according to an official statement from the Syrian presidency.
During the discussion, President Sharaa emphasized that lifting the remaining U.S. sanctions is essential to revitalizing Syria’s crippled economy and attracting vital foreign investment.
While the United States has dismantled the bulk of its sanctions regime against Syria—including the repeal of the Caesar Act, which previously imposed sweeping restrictions on individuals, companies, and institutions linked to former President Bashar al-Assad—Washington maintains that certain targeted measures remain firmly in place.
According to U.S. officials, the surviving sanctions continue to target Assad, his close associates, suspected human rights abusers, traffickers of illicit stimulant drugs, and other actors deemed destabilizing to the region.
Furthermore, Washington is currently reviewing Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. This classification carries heavy restrictions, including bans on U.S. foreign aid, defense exports, and specific international financial transactions.
The complete removal of these remaining financial hurdles is widely seen as a make-or-break factor for Syria’s new transitional government. Regional players are watching closely; several Saudi Arabian firms are already planning multi-billion dollar investments to aid recovery efforts, while other Gulf states have pledged substantial financial assistance conditional on economic stabilization.
