State Department removes Syria from ITAR policy-of-denial country list
A final rule published October 1, 2026, took Syria off the list of countries subject to a policy of denial for export licenses and other approvals under the ITAR.
The State Department published a final rule in the Federal Register on October 1, 2026, revising how the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) treat Syria. The rule took effect the same day it was published.
According to the rule, the Department of State is amending the ITAR "to remove Syria from the list of countries subject to a policy of denial for licenses and other approvals." The document is titled "International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Syria Country Policy Revision."
The action was issued as a final rule rather than a proposal. The Federal Register entry lists no public comment period.
The text available in the Federal Register entry is brief. It does not describe what licensing policy, if any, will now apply to Syria in place of the policy of denial. It also does not say whether other restrictions on exports to Syria remain in effect, how the change may apply to specific categories of defense articles, or how it interacts with export or sanctions rules administered by other federal agencies.
The full text of the rule is available from the Federal Register.
What is not yet known
The rule is already in effect, and no comment deadline or later effective date is listed. The source does not indicate whether the State Department plans further guidance or additional changes related to Syria under the ITAR, and it does not describe any practical effect on license applications that may be pending or submitted in the future.
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Sources
- fr_published: State Department final rule removes Syria from ITAR policy-of-denial country listOfficial source