ISTANBUL

Syria on Friday called a US Senate decision to repeal the Caesar Act a “constructive step” toward correcting the course of relations between Damascus and Washington.

“We welcome the positive development represented by the US Senate’s adoption of a provision within the budget bill that stipulates the repeal of what is known as the ‘Caesar Act’,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It said the Caesar Act was imposed on the former regime of Bashar al-Assad as a result of its crimes.

“But the continuation of this Act after the regime’s fall has had severe humanitarian and economic repercussions on the Syrian people and has negatively affected the lives of civilians across various sectors.”

The ministry expressed its appreciation for what it called a “responsible American approach,” thanking US legislative circles “that recognized the importance of reassessing previous policies.”

“This decision constitutes a constructive step toward correcting the path of bilateral relations between the two countries, contributing to the strengthening of regional security and stability and opening up promising prospects for humanitarian and economic cooperation.”

The action was taken Thursday evening when the Senate passed a comprehensive annual defense policy bill known as the NDAA that included the repeal of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019. The law, signed by President Donald Trump during his first term, imposed sanctions on Damascus for gross human rights abuses during the country's 13-year civil war.

It imposed sweeping sanctions on Syrian individuals and institutions and mandated financial penalties on those who provided the Syrian government or its representatives with significant support, transactions, services, or goods.

The NDAA was passed with sweeping approval – 77 to 20 – in the 100-member chamber. It will now be taken up by what is known as a joint conference in which representatives from the Senate and House of Representatives will meet to hammer out differences between the two versions of the bill that they approved.

Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in late 2024, ending the Baath Party’s decades-long grip on power that began in 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in Syria in January following Assad’s fall.