بريطانيا تجرى عمليات شطب من قوائم العقوبات على سورية وإيران

The British government announced yesterday the implementation of five removals from its financial sanctions lists, as part of its periodic reviews of the sanctions systems, according to an official memorandum issued by the British authorities.

According to the memorandum, the sanctions on Syria included four removals carried out under the British sanctions regime imposed on Syria. British media reported from government sources that these removals pertain to the elimination of duplicate entries (administrative repetitions) from the lists, without affecting any currently imposed restrictions, and without disclosing additional details regarding the names involved or the reasons for the administrative removal.

The Iranian "Nuclear" Issue

As for the sanctions on Iran, the memorandum included one removal carried out under the sanctions regime related to the Iranian nuclear program, in a step that falls within the British legal framework for reviewing and updating sanctions lists, also focusing on correcting administrative repetitions without changing the overall policy towards the nuclear program.

The official document indicated that these steps are part of the periodic review mechanisms adopted by the British government to assess the continued inclusion of individuals or entities on the sanctions lists, according to the established legal criteria, with an emphasis on unifying the lists under one authority to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

This announcement comes in the context of broader amendments to the Syrian sanctions regime during 2025, as Britain lifted most economic restrictions to support the reconstruction of Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, while sanctions on Iran remain linked to ongoing nuclear concerns.

European Support for Syria After the Fall of Assad

During this year, following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the United Kingdom, in parallel with the European Union and the United States, lifted or suspended most economic and sectoral sanctions imposed on Syria, with the aim of supporting reconstruction and a peaceful political transition under the leadership of President Ahmad al-Shara.

These changes included the removal of restrictions on the energy, transportation, and banking sectors, while maintaining some targeted sanctions for human rights violations or previous ties to the old regime.

As for Iran, the British sanctions related to the nuclear program generally remain in place, with periodic reviews conducted to ensure the accuracy of the lists and the removal of any administrative repetitions.

The British government, through the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), relies on periodic review mechanisms for sanctions lists to assess the continued inclusion of individuals or entities, according to legal standards and political changes.