Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, May 24: The Trump administration on Friday ordered the start of easing sanctions on Syria, following President Trump’s pledge earlier this month during a Middle East trip to roll back measures aimed at the war-torn nation.

The US Treasury issued a general license authorizing transactions involving Syria’s interim government, central bank, and state-owned enterprises, effectively lifting key sanctions to encourage investment and private sector growth aligned with Trump’s ‘America First’ strategy.

At the same time, the State Department granted a 180-day waiver under the Caesar Act to facilitate Syria’s recovery efforts in electricity, water, energy, and humanitarian aid, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“This is the first step toward a new relationship between Syria and the US,” Rubio said.

Trump announced the decision after meeting Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and consulting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both Saudi Arabia and Turkey supported the move, seeing it as a way to stabilize Syria and the region.

However, Israel strongly opposed the decision, warning it could lead to instability. Trump admitted he did not consult Israel before announcing the easing of sanctions, saying, “I thought it was the right thing to do.”