The HTS organization, which became the de facto ruling force in Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in late 2024 - early 2025, is now free from international restrictions. An official statement indicated that this decision is aimed at promoting long-term recovery, stabilization, and economic development of the country in a post-crisis context.
According to UN data, Ahmad al-Shara, who leads HTS and became the transitional president, confirmed his legitimacy on the international stage by announcing plans for institutional reforms and actively fighting terrorism. As a result of the decision made, asset freezes, travel bans for representatives of the organization, as well as arms embargoes and military cooperation restrictions were lifted. Previously, these restrictions were mandatory for all UN member states.
It should be noted that the lifting of sanctions only pertains to the legal structure of HTS, while individuals may still remain subject to individual sanctions. This decision by the Security Council became possible after the lifting of restrictions for Ahmad al-Shara in the fall of 2025, as well as following similar actions by the United States and the European Union, which recognized the new government of Syria after the change of power in Damascus.
