International sanctions against Syria
International sanctions against Syria were a series of economic sanctions and restrictions imposed on the Syrian Arab Republic under Bashar al-Assad's rule from 2011 onwards by the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and the Arab League, mainly as a result of the repression of civilians in the Syrian civil war. The US sanctions against Syria were the most severe, as they affected third-parties as well, and amounted to an embargo. The intent was to prevent the Syrian government from employing violence against its citizens and to motivate political reforms that could solve the root causes of the conflict.
In May 2025, US President Donald Trump and the European Union ordered the lifting of sanctions on Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. In December 2025, US sanctions were permanently lifted with the repeal of the Caesar Act.
Sanctions timeline
In 1979, the United States put Syria on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism over Syria's military occupation of Lebanon and state-sponsored support to Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups.In November 1986, the European Community imposed a package of sanctions that included a ban on the sale of new arms to Syria, a ban on high-level visits, review of embassy and consular staff, and strict security measures with regard to Syrian Arab Airlines. These measures were lifted in 1994.
Between March and August 2004, the United States issued new sanctions against the Syrian government. These new sanctions are a follow-up to the policy of combating the Axis of evil conducted by the Bush administration, which "condemns the alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction by the Syrian regime, condemns its grip on Lebanon and its willingness to destabilize Iraq, as well as its support for terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas."
The first sanctions applied on the country after the outbreak of the crisis was on 29 April 2011, after an executive order was issued by President Barack Obama to block property of those involved in the violations. Canada imposed its first sanctions on 25 May 2011 in the form of a travel ban, asset freeze, ban on the export of certain goods and technology that may be used by the armed forces, and suspension of all bilateral agreements and initiatives.
In May 2011, the European Union adopted sanctions against Syria, in particular by prohibiting the trade in goods that could be used for the repression of the civilian population.
Sanctions following the civil war
In August 2011, the United States put in place an embargo on the oil sector, freezing the financial assets of a number of personalities, as well as those of the Syrian state itself. In addition, the United States prohibits the export of goods and services originating in the territory of the United States or from United States companies or persons to Syria. This prohibition concerns any product of which at least 10% of the value comes from the United States or one of its nationals. This measure has a wide impact on the Syrian population and on the price of commodities and medical products.In September 2011, the European Union, in turn, adopted an embargo against the Syrian oil sector.
Australia announced a set of sanctions against Syria in 2011, in response to Assad government's violence against civilians. Sanctions ban Australians from all transactions related to weaponry, oil & natural gas, precious metals, petro-chemicals, toxic substances, banking partnerships, etc. with firms operating in Syria. They also prohibit dealings with regime-affiliated individuals, organizations and designated militant groups; which are involved in war-crimes and human rights violations.
In November 2011, the Arab League announced in turn the freezing of Syrian government's financial assets, the end of financial exchanges with the Central Bank of Syria, the cessation of airlines between the countries of the Arab League and Syria, the ban on the stay of several Syrian figures and the cessation of investments in Syria by the Arab League states. Lebanon and Yemen have opposed these sanctions. In the same month, Turkey also announced the freezing of the Syrian state's financial assets.
Other sanctions measures were put in place by the European Union in February 2012 concerning the energy sector, the supply of arms and the financial sector of Syria, as well as the mining sector. US presidential orders 13606 and 13608 issued in April and May 2012, respectively, issued additional sanctions against foreign individuals and firms trying to evade the US sanctions. In June 2012, several non-EU countries like Georgia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland, Serbia, Albania, Liechtenstein, Norway and Moldova also joined the European Union's sanctions against Syria.
In addition, in 2012, 120 Syrian officials or institutions had their financial assets frozen by the European Union and cannot travel to the European Union. This includes Bashar al-Assad, the Central Bank of Syria and several ministers. In June 2012, the European Union banned the trade in luxury goods with Syria, as well as a number of commercial products. At the same time, the European Union strengthened its measures of restrictions on Syria in the fields of armaments, law enforcement and telecommunications control sectors.
However, several EU member states have received sanctioned Syrian ministers in their lands, under the guise of attending UN and intergovernmental conferences since 2018.
In March 2017, a UN Security Council draft resolution aimed to establish sanctions against Syria following the use of chemical weapons in its territory. However, Russia and China vetoed it. It is the 7th draft resolution for sanctions that have been rejected as a result of the exercise of vetoes. The resolution envisaged prohibiting the trade in helicopter parts and setting up the freezing of financial assets of some military figures from the Syrian government.
In April 2017, the United States imposed financial freeze and travel ban to financial services against 270 government employees of the Syrian government following the Khan Sheikhoun attack.
In March 2021, the EU declared that sanctions would remain in place until a political transformation in Syria commences. On 31 May 2022, the EU extended its sanctions against the Syrian government for a further year. Following Assad's backing of Russian invasion of Ukraine and recognition of the separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine dissolved all diplomatic relations with Syria and pledged to expand further sanctions against Syria in June 2022.
After the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake
There were increasing calls for sanctions against Syria to be lifted after the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes due to its impact on humanitarian aid. The U.S later temporarily lifted some sanctions which allowed many charity organizations to send money to Syria.On 7 February 2023, in the wake of the Turkey–Syria earthquakes, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent urged Western countries to lift sanctions. According to the Century Foundation's Aaron Lund, NGOs want some sanctions lifted because they "hurt civilians and humanitarian efforts".
On 9 February 2023, the US Treasury Department announced it would temporarily lift some sanctions, covering “all transactions related to earthquake relief”, for 180 days. Previously, the US said the sanctions already contained robust exemptions for humanitarian assistance, and they "will not stand in the way" of saving lives.
On 23 February 2023, the European Union also announced it would ease some sanctions for six months in order to speed up the relief effort for the Syrian nation. Later a number of neighboring Arab states also signaled increased cooperation with Syria after they contributed to the relief effort.
During the 2023 Munich security conference, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud remarked that some dialogue would be necessary with Damascus, at least to address humanitarian issues, including a return of refugees, especially after the 2023 earthquake, and that "not just among the GCC but in the Arab world there is a consensus growing that the status quo is not workable”. At the same conference, Kuwaiti foreign minister Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah told Reuters that his country was opposed to normalization with Bashar al-Assad and stated that Kuwait provided financial assistance to earthquake victims through international organisations and Turkey.
Following a visit to Syria by Jordan's foreign minister Ayman Safadi on 15 February 2023, members of the Jordanian government also expressed hope that Syria's isolation would end and sanctions could be lifted. A day earlier, China's envoy to the United Nations also called for unilateral sanctions to be lifted "to give children hit by war and quakes hopes for survival".
Qatar had been firmly opposed to normalisation of Bashar al-Assad due to regime's repression and has called for dialogue to end the crisis. Spokesman of Qatari Foreign Ministry stated on 28 February 2023 that they will not normalise relations with Syria until there is a "real political solution" in the country.
On 18 March 2023, National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine put into effect a range of sanctions targeting 141 firms and 300 individuals linked to Syria, including those affiliated with Russian weapons manufacturers and Iranian dronemakers. This was days after Assad's visit to Moscow, wherein he recognized Russian annexation of four Ukrainian Oblasts and portrayed Russia's war as a fight against "old and new Nazis". Bashar al-Assad, Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad were amongst the individuals who were sanctioned. Sanctions also involved freezing of all Syrian state properties in Ukraine, curtailment of monetary transactions, termination of economic commitments and recision of all state awards.
In late March 2023, Turkey also had taken the path of easing economic sanctions against Syria, as Erdogan is seeking a "bilateral normalization effort" with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad, according to Le Monde. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met in Ankara to seek a solution to the separatist-controlled north of Syria, an issue long at heart for the Republic of Türkiye.