Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani welcomed on Monday the lifting of most US sanctions imposed on his country under a “historic” executive order issued by US President Donald Trump. Al-Shaybani said in a tweet on his official account on the social networking site (X) that “this decision represents an important turning point that will contribute to pushing Syria towards a new phase of prosperity, stability and openness to the international community.” He noted that removing this “major obstacle” to economic recovery opens the door to “long-awaited” reconstruction and development and the rehabilitation of vital infrastructure, providing the necessary conditions for the “dignified and safe” return of Syrian refugees to their homeland. Earlier today, President Trump signed an executive order lifting US sanctions on Syria starting tomorrow, Tuesday. The White House said in a post on its Rapid Response account on Twitter that “the lifting of the sanctions program on Syria is intended to support the country's path toward stability and peace.” The White House clarified that the executive order maintains sanctions on former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his aides, human rights violators, drug traffickers, individuals associated with chemical weapons, the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), and “Iranian proxies.”