Lifting Sanctions on Syria: Trump’s Bargain for Zionism

By Mehdi Honardideh

The quiet and unceremonious lifting of sanctions on Syria by the Trump administration at a critical juncture reveals an underlying web of complex regional and extra-regional calculations. This move was not made out of benevolence, but rather due to several major political and security considerations rooted in the transactional and interest-driven nature of U.S. foreign policy.

Below is a brief overview of the key reasons behind Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Syria:

Normalization of Relations Between Syria and the Zionist Regime:

The United States has consistently aimed to break the isolation of Israel in the region. Normalizing relations between Damascus and Tel Aviv would serve as a major strategic gain for Washington. The green light given to Assad through lifting sanctions was essentially an incentive to accept Israel’s conditions and pave the way for implementing the “Deal of the Century” in the northern flank of the Axis of Resistance.

Securing U.S. Interests in Northern and Eastern Syria (Oil):

America’s military and
economic presence in Syria’s oil-rich regions could not be sustained without easing certain sanctions. The removal of restrictions opened the path for Western companies to invest in Syria’s oil fields and allowed the U.S. to claim a larger share in the post-war economic reconstruction.

Attracting Gulf Arab Investment and Economic
Engagement in Syria:

By easing sanctions, Washington facilitated the entry of Arab financial powerhouses—especially the UAE and Saudi Arabia—into Syria’s reconstruction and economic projects. The goal was to transform Syria into a new arena of geopolitical rivalry between Iran and the Arab states.

Winning Syrian Public Opinion and Weakening the Resistance Axis:

The lifting of sanctions helped the Syrian government, after years of war and economic hardship, to appease a discontented public. Promises of economic relief and improved livelihoods were used to shift public sentiment away from the Resistance Axis and toward cooperation with the Arab world and the West.

Ensuring the Security of the Zionist Regime by Containing Syria:

Washington’s primary objective was to restrain Damascus, a key strategic link in the Resistance Axis and a direct neighbor threatening Israel. By weakening Syria’s ties with resistance forces and encouraging it to engage with the West and Israel, the U.S. sought to safeguard Israeli security and keep Syria within its own sphere of influence.

Final Word:

Trump’s lifting of sanctions on Syria does not signal a shift in favor of Damascus. Rather, it was a calculated move to advance U.S. and Israeli interests and reshape the regional balance of power. This transaction clearly reflected America’s longstanding approach of using sanctions—and their removal—as a bargaining chip to pressure governments. It was a deliberate strategy based on normalization, self-interest, and ensuring the security of the Zionist regime by gradually containing the Resistance Axis and isolating Syria from it.
In other words, this action is another long-standing American policy of bargaining and using the leverage of sanctions and their lifting to put pressure on governments.