Saudi Arabia welcomes US decision to remove Syria from terrorism sponsor list

Saudi Arabia welcomed Thursday a US decision to begin removing Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reiterated support for “all positive steps taken by the Syrian government to ensure security and stability, contribute to building state institutions, and meet the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people for a more stable and prosperous Syria."

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump had formally notified Congress of his administration’s intention to rescind Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism after the required 45-day congressional notification period.

“This is yet another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a chance at greatness,” Rubio said in a statement.

Syria hailed the US move as an “important development” in bilateral relations.

The US had placed Syria on the list of state sponsors of terrorism since 1979 during the era of late President Hafez al-Assad, a designation widely viewed as one of the main remaining obstacles to the country’s economic recovery.

The US decision followed a meeting between Trump and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.