The US State Department has removed Syria from its list of "State Sponsors of Terrorism", ending nearly five decades of isolation. In an interview with Al Jazeera, former US Special Envoy for Syria Michael Ratney said the decision was "the right one" and necessary to let the Syrian economy "breathe". He said the designation made sense under Bashar al-Assad but "makes much less sense" under Ahmad al-Sharaa. Ratney said the move gives businesses "clarity and faith that they can engage in Syria without legal liability", which should have "knock-on effects for Syrians". He said al-Sharaa's ideology is "deeply antithetical to the Iranians" and that it "doesn't surprise me at all" that one of his first steps was to cut Iran's access to Hezbollah. Addressing Syria-Israel talks, Ratney said the decision strengthens al-Sharaa's hand by showing "the US is on his side", while criticising Israel for continuing to "stoke instability" in Syria.
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