OFAC Syria FAQs Updated

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Wednesday issued a fact sheet containing updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Syria General License 25 (GL 25), providing authoritative clarification on the scope of U.S. sanctions relief for Syria.

This follows the May 13 announcement by President Trump directing the cessation of sanctions against Syria in support of the country’s new government.

GL 25, issued May 23, authorizes a wide range of transactions previously prohibited under the Syrian Sanctions Regulations (31 C.F.R. Part 542), including the provision of services, new investment, import and trade in Syrian-origin petroleum, and dealings with the Government of Syria as constituted after May 13, 2025. 

The license also permits transactions with certain blocked persons listed in the Annex to GL 25.

OFAC emphasized that the license does not authorize:

• Transactions involving individuals on the SDN List, including former President Bashar al-Assad;
• Unblocking of property frozen prior to May 22, 2025;
• Dealings involving the governments of Russia, Iran, or North Korea.

The Department of State concurrently issued a 180-day waiver under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, suspending the application of certain secondary sanctions on non-U.S. persons engaging in covered Syrian transactions.

GL 25 does not replace existing humanitarian authorizations but may overlap with previously issued general licenses. U.S. financial institutions are permitted to process covered transactions, including those involving the Central Bank of Syria, though assets remain blocked unless otherwise authorized.

The fact sheet affirms that U.S. enforcement remains in place for terrorism, proliferation, and human rights-related designations. OFAC invites stakeholders with compliance inquiries to contact the agency directly. The FAQs supersede prior guidance and reflect the administration’s broader policy shift to normalize economic engagement with post-Assad Syria.