Damascus' welcome, Britain lifts sanctions on 12 Syrian institutions.
In its update of sanctions on Syria, the UK Treasury stated that "the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior, the General Intelligence Service, and a number of media organizations are no longer subject to asset freezes."
Sanctions were also lifted from the Syrian National Security Bureau, the Military Intelligence Directorate, the Supply and Logistics Office, the General Authority for Radio and Television, Al-Watan TV, Sham Press TV, and Sama TV, according to the update.
This came after the British Foreign Office updated its list of sanctions imposed on Syrian entities under the Assad regime.
In a subsequent statement, the British Foreign Office stated that "the amendments announced today to the sanctions list regarding Syria will help its people rebuild their country and economy after the fall of Assad."
The statement stressed that "the amendments allow the United Kingdom to hold Assad and his associates accountable for their human rights violations."
The British Foreign Office noted that ensuring long-term stability in Syria is essential to ensuring the security of the country and the region.
She explained that "these amendments will lift British sanctions on some Syrian sectors, including financial services and energy production. This will help facilitate investment in energy infrastructure and help Syrians rebuild their country and economy."
The British Foreign Office indicated that "sanctions imposed on members of the former regime and those involved in the illicit Captagon trade will continue."
In this regard, British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Faulkner, said, "The Syrian people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their country and their economy, and a stable Syria is in our interests. So today I am pleased that the United Kingdom has amended its sanctions on Syria, lifting sanctions on 12 entities to help them achieve this," according to the same statement.
Faulkner also expressed his country's commitment to supporting stability in Syria and the wider region, on the one hand, and enhancing national security in the country in support of the government's plan for change, on the other.
On March 6, Britain announced the removal of 24 Syrian entities from its sanctions list, including the Central Bank, Arab Airlines, and energy companies, reaffirming its commitment to helping Syrians rebuild their country and economy.
For its part, Damascus welcomed Britain's announcement to lift restrictions on 12 Syrian entities, with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani describing it as a "pivotal step toward reforming infrastructure and strengthening security."
This came according to a statement by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a post by Al-Shebani on the X platform, following the British government's announcement earlier Thursday that it was lifting sanctions imposed on the Syrian Ministries of Interior and Defense during the rule of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the Syrian government has been demanding the lifting of sanctions on Damascus, arguing that they "prevent the country's renaissance."
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of the country, ending 61 years of Ba'ath regime rule and 53 years of Assad family control.
The Syrian authorities are looking for international and regional support to help them address the repercussions of ousted President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule (2000-2024).