The US Congress on Wednesday permanently ended sanctions imposed on Syria under ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, paving the way for the return of investment to the war-ravaged nation.

Axar.az informs, citing France 24, President Donald Trump had already twice suspended the implementation of the sanctions in response to pleas from Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, allies of the new government headed by former jihadist Ahmed al-Sharaa.

However, Sharaa had sought a permanent end to the measures, fearing that as long as they remained on the books they would deter businesses wary of legal risks in the world’s largest economy.

The Senate passed the repeal of the 2019 Caesar Act as part of a sweeping annual defence package, voting 77 to 20 in favour of the legislation. The bill had already been approved by the House of Representatives and is expected to be signed by Trump.