We Will Temporarily Suspend Those Sanctions: Rubio

The United States has temporarily suspended sanctions against Syria for 180 days to provide electricity, water, and humanitarian assistance to Damascus, announced U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“In accordance with the president's (U.S. Donald Trump’s) commitment to ease sanctions in Syria, I have issued an executive order for a 180-day relief from mandatory sanctions. This relief will help ensure access to electricity, water, and sanitation, as well as enable more effective humanitarian assistance throughout Syria,” Rubio stated in a release from the State Department.

Rubio added that the decision to suspend the sanctions was the first step toward establishing new relations between the United States and Syria. He noted that Trump expects Damascus to take “swift action” on priority political issues in response.