Syrians erupted in joy on Wednesday evening following an announcement from US President Donald Trump that he will be lifting sanctions on the country, during his visit to Riyadh.
During his four-day Middle East visit, Trump has been trying to boost foreign investment and has met key leaders from the region.
Trump expressed hope for Syria’s new government on Tuesday, saying: "There’s a new government that will hopefully succeed in stabilising the country and keeping peace".
"I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness," he continued.
The announcement immediately triggered celebrations, both in the country and from the diaspora.
Syrians poured into Clock Square in Homs following the news, with scores waving the Syrian flag, chanting, and setting off fireworks.
Many also thanked Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their support of the Syria, stating that the move signals a new phase of stability and reconstruction for the country.
While there was widespread jubilation in the streets of many cities, the joy was marred by the killing of at least three Syrians as a result of celebratory gunfire.
A young man and his mother were killed in the al-Fayd area of Jableh city, south of Latakia, after stray bullets hit them during the celebrations.
Another woman was killed in the village of Maliha al-Atash, east of Daraa. At least four others were wounded as a result in villages in the Izraa area, east of Daraa, and one child was wounded in the north of Daraa.
Shortly after, security forces stepped in to control the situation.
Trump’s lifting of sanctions comes after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa repeatedly called on countries to allow the country to recover by removing restrictions.
In March, the UK lifted sanctions from 24 Syrian entities, including the central bank. A month earlier, the EU said it would partially suspend sanctions in the country’s banking sector.
‘Good luck, Syria’
Before the announcement, Trump spoke about how war and years of unrest had set Syria back and hindered the country’s growth.
"There's a new government that we hope will succeed... I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special," he said.
He also said that US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is set to meet with Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani in Turkey in the coming days.
Al-Shibani hailed the lifting of the sanctions as a "pivotal turning point for the Syrian people as a move toward a future of stability, self-sufficiency and true reconstruction after years of devastating war".
Beyond the initial euphoria
Yazan Al-Saadi, The New Arab's international editor, based in Beirut, Lebanon, said the news was met with delight as the country has been battling many challenges since the ouster of Assad on 8 December.
"Among these challenges were the economic sanctions, mainly by the United States and the West, that had restricted a lot of trade and financial transactions into and out of Syria," al-Saadi said.
"Now with these restrictions gone, there's going to be a lot of commercial opportunities for Syrians in Syria, and Syrians in the diaspora, and more ability to have businesses, trade, and move money around," he continued.
Despite the celebrations and many expecting a new era for Syria, some have expressed doubt and uncertainty over the future.
"There are a lot of questions that linger behind the initial euphoria. When and how will the United States remove these sanctions? Creating sanctions are easy and quick, removing them takes time and is convoluted - so the logistics and timeline, and the devilish details," al-Saadi explained.
"What is the price for this? Is it normalisation with Israel or firmly placing Syria in the Western and Gulf sphere of influence? And what of the impacts of neo-liberalistic capitalism, unrestrained? Are we going to see a Syria plundered like post-USSR Russia?" he said.
How have sanctions affected Syria?
US Sanctions on Syria, during the former Assad regime, crippled the country, lasting from 1971 to 2024.
The sanctions stunted the country’s economic growth and led to an arms embargo and other financial restrictions, including on foreign assistance.
As well as freezing Syrian government assets held abroad, the US restrictions included a ban on investments in the country and on petroleum imports.
In June 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Southern Turkey and northern Syria, sanctions had severely hampered relief efforts, including obstructing medicine and medical supplies.
EU sanctions on Syria also caused Syria to spiral into further turmoil, as the country battled a crisis in the electricity and energy sectors.
The government was also unable to buy or trade money to stabilise its currency, which meant that very little technology was imported.
In the diaspora, many Syrians found it difficult to transfer money to relatives or loved ones as a result of sanctions.
Can Trump reverse all sanctions?
While Trump has reiterated that he will be removing "all sanctions", questions have been raised as to whether he has the power to.
According to experts, Trump can reverse state-level sanctions, which are believed to be some of the most important.
However, he can only reverse around eight sanctions imposed on Syria which stem from executive orders. The rest are legislatively mandated and require congressional action to repeal.
One of those which are hard to reverse is the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which some say can be integral for the rebuilding of Syria.
The act imposes secondary sanctions on the US and non-US persons or entities that are engaged in financial activities related to the rebuilding of Syria. It also targeted individuals or organisations linked to the former Assad regime.
Another limitation is that the US has listed the Syrian government as a "state sponsor of terrorism" since 1979, which means that any US aid or weapons sales to the country have not been allowed. To reverse this would need both executive and congressional approval, including presidential certification, congressional review, and a report to Congress.