President Ahmed al-Shareh addressed the Syrian people from the slopes of Mount Qasioun, overlooking Damascus, to celebrate the complete lifting of sanctions against the country. He declared the beginning of a new era of construction and rebuilding.
In a televised address broadcast Friday, President al-Shareh stated, “From the slopes of Mount Qasioun, I extend my congratulations and gratitude for the lifting of sanctions on Syria. Today marks the first day of a Syria without sanctions.”
He expressed his gratitude to those who had endured hardships during the revolution, saying, “Sincere thanks to everyone who sacrificed and persevered during the revolution, to everyone who inhaled chemicals, to everyone who emigrated and left their land, to everyone who drowned in the seas, and to the blood of the martyrs, until we reached this great victory, crowned by the complete removal of restrictions on Syria.”
President al-Shareh specifically thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Congress for heeding his call to lift the sanctions. He also extended his appreciation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and all Arab, Islamic, and European countries that supported the Syrian people during the war and in the past year leading to the sanctions relief.
Addressing the Syrian people directly, President al-Shareh concluded, “The time of pain is gone, and the time of building has begun. Hand in hand, we will build this nation to reach the highest levels.”
The lifting of sanctions follows President Trump’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2026 on Thursday at the White House. The act included a provision to repeal sanctions imposed on Syria under the ‘Caesar Act,’ officially ending the restrictions.
The ‘Caesar Act,’ initially approved by the U.S. Congress on December 11, 2019, aimed to penalize key figures in the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for war crimes and human rights violations against civilians. The repeal of the law, which imposed broad economic and financial sanctions, is expected to pave the way for the return of foreign investment and aid to support the new Syrian administration.
Syrian revolutionaries entered Damascus on December 8, 2024, marking the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule (2000-2024), who had succeeded his father Hafez (1971-2000).
