U.S. issues tri-agency advisory detailing Syria sanctions and export controls relief

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the State Department and the Commerce Department on Monday issued a “Tri-Seal Advisory” outlining steps the Trump administration says it has taken to roll back broad U.S. sanctions on Syria and ease certain export controls in a bid to spur commercial reengagement.

The advisory, updated in December 2025, says the United States no longer imposes comprehensive sanctions on Syria and that most business involving Syria is no longer blocked by U.S. sanctions authorities. It also says Congress repealed the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act’s mandatory sanctions, and that the transfer of most basic, civilian-use U.S.-origin goods, software and technology to or within Syria is permitted without a license.

The advisory stresses that restrictions remain on what it calls “the worst of the worst,” including Bashar al-Assad and associates, human rights abusers and captagon traffickers, and notes the U.S. government continues reviewing Syria’s State Sponsor of Terrorism designation. It adds that most Commerce Control List items headed to Syria still require a U.S. export license.

Among the steps summarized: the termination of the Syria sanctions program effective June 30; issuance of Syria General License 25 to authorize certain otherwise prohibited dealings involving specified blocked persons to support services to Syrian governing institutions; and Commerce action easing licensing requirements for certain civilian and dual-use exports, while leaving other dual-use exports subject to case-by-case review.