Taking Additional Steps With Respect to the Situation in Syria

The order amends Executive Order 13894 (issued in 2019 to address the Syria crisis) in three specific ways: it removes a reference to Turkey's military offensive into northeast Syria from the order's preamble language; it replaces several subsections that defined who can be sanctioned with a simplified two-part standard covering those who materially support a blocked person and those owned, controlled by, or acting on behalf of a blocked person; and it deletes subsection 8(f) of the original order entirely.

The order does not itself designate any new individuals or entities for sanctions, lift any existing sanctions designation, or change the underlying national emergency declared in 2019. Its effect is to update the operative legal text to reflect changed circumstances on the ground in Syria and to consolidate the criteria used to determine secondary-sanctions exposure.

Individuals and entities currently or potentially subject to Syria-related sanctions under Executive Order 13894, including foreign persons who provide material support to sanctioned parties. Treasury Department sanctions lawyers and compliance officers at international financial institutions tracking who qualifies for blocking are also directly affected by the updated criteria.

The revised criteria for secondary sanctions — who can be blocked for supporting a sanctioned party — are now narrower and simpler, which affects how compliance officers and government lawyers assess risk exposure. Removing the Turkey offensive language updates the stated rationale for the national emergency without changing its scope.