The US Senate has voted to repeal the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria, a landmark move welcomed by Damascus as a "historic moment" and hailed by its supporters as a step towards rebuilding the war-torn nation.
Republican Senator Joe Wilson announced the repeal on X, thanking colleagues for including it in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Wilson, who has long pushed for lifting the sanctions on Syria alongside the Syrian American Alliance, argued that the punitive measures targeted a regime that "no longer exists", adding that Syria's recovery now depends on a "full and total repeal".
Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa called the decision a major breakthrough, crediting both "active diplomacy" and efforts by Syrians in the diaspora.
"A major obstacle has been removed on the path toward development, prosperity, and stability," he said, describing it as the first step toward national unification.
The Senate vote comes just days after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged an end to sanctions on Syria during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Syrian counterpart.
Fidan warned that the sanctions had inflicted severe hardship on ordinary Syrians, calling for the international community to end Syria's isolation and support its reintegration.
The repeal marks a significant shift in US policy towards Syria, opening the door for potential regional and international re-engagement after years of economic blockade.
The US President Donald Trump in June ordered the removal of sanctions on Syria, which has increased diplomatic outreach in recent weeks as the Ahmed al Sharaa government looks to rebuild the country.
