Trump admin removes Syria from arms export ban as it warms to new Syrian government

The Trump administration is removing Syria from its list of nations that are banned from purchasing or importing U.S. weapons. 

The removal is part of a broader process of easing sanctions on the new government in Damascus and its leaders, the Associated Press reported. 

The State Department published a notice in the Federal Register on Wednesday, announcing it is amending its International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR, so that Syria is no longer subject to a policy that denies it licenses required for the sale of U.S. weapons and munitions. 

President Donald Trump began easing sanctions against Syria that had been in place through much of the administration of the now-ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio rescinded the country's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The State Department also announced plans to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, which had been closed for 14 years.