U.S. Congress removes Syria from “rogue states list ”

The U.S. Senate voted to remove Syria from the unofficial "rogue states list," which was used to identify countries that Washington opposes politically and security-wise and prevents cooperation with.

The White House announced that Syria is no longer included on the "rogue states list," an unofficial political list that prevents the United States from cooperating with the countries classified on it, especially in sensitive fields such as civilian nuclear energy.

The White House said, through its official Arabic page on the platform "X," that "Syria was previously included on this list alongside countries such as Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, but it is no longer on it now."

The "rogue states list" is known as an unofficial classification adopted by U.S. administrations since the 1990s. It is used to refer to countries accused of supporting international terrorism, seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction, violating human rights, or threatening regional and international security.

Despite Syria’s removal from this list, it is still officially classified as a "state sponsor of terrorism" by the U.S. State Department since 1979. This legal classification entails the continuation of strict sanctions including bans on foreign aid, restrictions on exports, and imposing stringent financial and trade controls.

The official classification of "state sponsors of terrorism" differs from the concept of "rogue states," as the former is legally binding and entails direct consequences, while the latter is used as an unofficial political term to justify the U.S. stance toward some regimes.

A-H 

ANHA