Türkiye welcomes US decision to lift Caesar Act sanctions on Syria

ISTANBUL

Türkiye on Friday welcomed the US decision to lift sanctions imposed on Syria under the Caesar Act.

“We hope that this step will further encourage international cooperation for Syria’s reconstruction and development, and contribute to strengthening stability, security, and prosperity in the country,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli posted on US social media company X.

This came a day after US President Donald Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, formally ending the sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act during the rule of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime.

The 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act allowed the US to impose economic and travel sanctions on anyone, Syrian or foreign, who aids the former Assad regime’s military, intelligence, aviation, or energy-production sectors.

It also targeted individuals and entities that help the regime obtain goods, services, or technology that enable military operations.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.