US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order lifting most sanctions on Syria, marking a significant shift in US policy following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

The order ends five previous executive sanctions and authorizes relaxed export controls and foreign aid to Syria. However, sanctions will remain in place against Assad, his associates, and entities linked to terrorism, human rights abuses, and chemical weapons, according to Xinhua.

The Treasury Department issued a general license allowing transactions with Syria’s interim government and state-owned enterprises. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been tasked with exploring sanctions relief at the UN and reviewing Syria’s terror designations.

The Trump administration said it will continue monitoring Syria’s progress on normalization with Israel and counterterrorism efforts, Xinhua reported.