The United Kingdom has lifted the asset freeze on the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior, as well as a number of other services — these sanctions were imposed during the presidency of Bashar Assad.
This was reported by the UK Ministry of Finance.
Sanctions were also lifted from the following Syrian agencies: the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force Intelligence Directorate, the Political Security Directorate, the Syrian National Security Bureau, the Military Intelligence Directorate, the Army Supply Bureau, and the General Organization of Radio and Television.
In addition, restrictions were lifted on a number of media outlets, including the Al Watan newspaper and the Cham Press TV and Sama TV channels.
The West has been reviewing its approach to Syria since rebel forces ousted Bashar al-Assad from power in December, after more than 13 years of civil war.
The overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria
On December 8, 2024, the Syrian opposition entered the Syrian capital, Damascus, and overthrew the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who had been in power for 24 years. Assad himself fled to Moscow.
Syrian rebels formed a transitional government, led by Muhammad Bashir, who led the "Salvation Government" — a political structure created in 2017 in territories controlled by the Syrian opposition, primarily in Idlib province.
The leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, Ahmad al-Sharaa, became the new president of Syria in January 2025. He has repeatedly stressed that the country is exhausted by war and poses no threat to its neighbors or the West. He calls for the lifting of international sanctions on Syria, as they were imposed against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which has already been overthrown.
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