Sanctions against Syria

In August 2011, the United States put in place an embargo on the oil sector,[15] freezing the financial assets of a number of personalities, as well as those of the Syrian state itself. In addition, the United States prohibits the export of goods and services originating in the territory of the United States or from United States companies or persons to Syria. This prohibition concerns any product of which at least 10% of the value comes from the United States or one of its nationals.[16] This measure has a wide impact on the Syrian population and on the price of commodities and medical products.

In September 2011, the European Union, in turn, adopted an embargo against the Syrian oil sector.[17]

Australia announced a set of sanctions against Syria in 2011, in response to Assad government's violence against civilians. Sanctions ban Australians from all transactions related to weaponry, oil & natural gas, precious metals, petro-chemicals, toxic substances, banking partnerships, etc. with firms operating in Syria. They also prohibit dealings with regime-affiliated individuals, organizations and designated militant groups; which are involved in war-crimes and human rights violations.[18]

In November 2011, the Arab League announced in turn the freezing of Syrian government's financial assets, the end of financial exchanges with the Central Bank of Syria, the cessation of airlines between the countries of the Arab League and Syria, the ban on the stay of several Syrian figures and the cessation of investments in Syria by the Arab League states.[19][20] Lebanon and Yemen have opposed these sanctions.[21] In the same month, Turkey also announced the freezing of the Syrian state's financial assets.[22]

Other sanctions measures were put in place by the European Union in February 2012 concerning the energy sector, the supply of arms and the financial sector of Syria,[23] as well as the mining sector. US presidential orders 13606 and 13608 issued in April and May 2012, respectively, issued additional sanctions against foreign individuals and firms trying to evade the US sanctions.[16] In June 2012, several non-EU countries like Georgia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland, Serbia, Albania, Liechtenstein, Norway and Moldova also joined the European Union's sanctions against Syria.[24]

In addition, in 2012, 120 Syrian officials or institutions had their financial assets frozen by the European Union and cannot travel to the European Union. This includes Bashar al-Assad, the Central Bank of Syria and several ministers. In June 2012, the European Union banned the trade in luxury goods with Syria, as well as a number of commercial products.[25] At the same time, the European Union strengthened its measures of restrictions on Syria in the fields of armaments, law enforcement and telecommunications control sectors.[26]

However, several EU member states have received sanctioned Syrian ministers in their lands, under the guise of attending UN and intergovernmental conferences since 2018.[27]

In March 2017, a UN Security Council draft resolution aimed to establish sanctions against Syria following the use of chemical weapons in its territory. However, Russia and China vetoed it. It is the 7th draft resolution for sanctions that have been rejected as a result of the exercise of vetoes. The resolution envisaged prohibiting the trade in helicopter parts and setting up the freezing of financial assets of some military figures from the Syrian government.[28]

In April 2017, the United States imposed financial freeze and travel ban to financial services against 270 government employees of the Syrian government following the Khan Sheikhoun attack.[29]

In March 2021, the EU declared that sanctions would remain in place until a political transformation in Syria commences.[30] On 31 May 2022, the EU extended its sanctions against the Syrian government for a further year.[31] Following Assad's backing of Russian invasion of Ukraine and recognition of the seperatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine dissolved all diplomatic relations with Syria and pledged to expand further sanctions against Syria in June 2022.[32][33]

On 7 February 2023, in the wake of the Turkey–Syria earthquakes, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent urged Western countries to lift sanctions. According to the Century Foundation's Aaron Lund, NGOs want some sanctions lifted because they "hurt civilians and humanitarian efforts".[34]

On 9 February 2023, the US Treasury Department announced it would temporarily lift some sanctions, covering “all transactions related to earthquake relief”, for 180 days. Previously, the US said the sanctions already contained robust exemptions for humanitarian assistance, and they "will not stand in the way" of saving lives.[35][36][37]

On 23 February 2023, the European Union also announced it would ease some sanctions for six months in order to speed up the relief effort for the Syrian nation. Later a number of neighboring Arab states also signaled increased cooperation with Syria after they contributed to the relief effort.[38][39]

During the 2023 Munich security conference, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud remarked that some dialogue would be necessary with Damascus, at least to address humanitarian issues, including a return of refugees, especially after the 2023 earthquake, and that "not just among the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) but in the Arab world there is a consensus growing that the status quo (to isolate Syria) is not workable”.[40] At the same conference, Kuwaiti foreign minister Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah told Reuters that his country was opposed to normalization with Bashar al-Assad and stated that Kuwait provided financial assistance to earthquake victims through international organisations and Turkey.[41][42]

Following a visit to Syria by Jordan's foreign minister Ayman Safadi on 15 February 2023, members of the Jordanian government also expressed hope that Syria's isolation would end and sanctions could be lifted.[43] A day earlier, China' envoy to the United Nations also called for unilateral sanctions to be lifted "to give children hit by war and quakes hopes for survival".[44]

Qatar has been firmly opposed to normalisation of Bashar al-Assad due to regime's repression and has called for dialogue to end the crisis. Spokesman of Qatari Foreign Ministry stated on 28 February 2023 that they will not normalise relations with Syria until there is a "real political solution" in the country.[45]

On 18 March 2023, National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine put into effect a range of sanctions targeting 141 firms and 300 individuals linked to Syria, including those affiliated with Russian weapons manufacturers and Iranian dronemakers. This was days after Assad's visit to Moscow, wherein he recognized Russian annexation of four Ukrainian Oblasts and portrayed Russia's war as a fight against "old and new Nazis". Bashar al-Assad, Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad were amongst the individuals who were sanctioned.[lower-alpha 1] Sanctions also involved freezing of all Syrian state properties in Ukraine, curtailment of monetary transactions, termination of economic commitments and recision of all state awards.[51]

In late March 2023, Turkey also had taken the path of easing economic sanctions against Syria, as Erdogan is seeking a "bilateral normalization effort" with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Al-Assad, according to Le Monde. Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met in Ankara to seek a solution to the separatist-controlled north of Syria, an issue long at heart for the Turkish republic.[53]

In early April 2023, Saudi Arabia had invited Syria's Assad to the Arab leaders summit. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will travel to Damascus to discuss further steps to readmit Syria to the Arab League and reduce economic sanctions. The summit is scheduled for May 19, 2023.[54] At the same time, Egypt was also in advanced talks with Bashar al-Assad when Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met his Syrian counterpart in Cairo.[55]

On 7 May 2023, Syria was readmitted to the Arab league after a vote in Cairo before the scheduled meeting in Saudi Arabia later that month. Earlier, Kuwait and Qatar had opposed al-Assad’s presence at the Arab League summit. The regional normalisation effort had caught the U.S. and its European allies by surprise, as they were opposing an “Arab-led political path” in solving the crisis. According to the statement, al-Assad would be allowed to the meeting on 19 May 2023, if "he wishes to do so". Despite a critical stance by Jordan towards readmission of Syria to the alliance, the new political process was dubbed the “Jordanian Initiative”. Nevertheless, Syria remains under western sanctions after millions of Syrians had been displaced or sought refuge in Jordan and European countries during the civil war. The changes to the relations between Syria and other Arab States would allow many of them to return to their homeland, according to the announcements made earlier by Jordanian and Saudi officials.[56][57]