In a move that has surprised many observers, President Donald Trump recently announced the full lifting of US sanctions on Syria—a decision with profound implications for the Middle East’s balance of power. Revealed during his visit to the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh, this policy shift marks one of the most significant foreign policy reversals in recent American history, ending decades of punitive measures first imposed in 1979.

The sanctions, expanded over the years in response to concerns about terrorism, human rights, and regional alliances, were repealed despite Syria’s new president, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, only recently being viewed as a figure with ties to radical groups. In fact, al-Sharaa had, until recently, been subject to a US bounty for alleged connections to extremist networks.

In exchange for this policy reversal, the Syrian government has made a series of public commitments. President Trump stated that al-Sharaa’s administration has agreed to prevent the return of Islamic State (IS) elements, place all detention camps under state oversight, and expel foreign militant groups from Syrian territory. This latter pledge is especially significant, given the role such factions played in the collapse of the Assad government and the rise of al-Sharaa.

These armed groups have also been linked to violence targeting religious minorities, contributing to the region’s ongoing instability. By lifting sanctions, Washington is not just normalizing relations with Damascus—it is placing responsibility for regional stability on Syria’s new leadership, even as questions remain about its legitimacy and capacity for reform.

Strategic Motives and Regional Dynamics

The US decision cannot be separated from broader........

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