Sanctions on Syria: a look back, a way forward

For more than a decade, Syria has been under international sanctions aimed at pressuring Bashar Al Assad’s regime. But there is a longer history of sanctions on the country and the broader Middle East.

Sanctions can be used as a nudge – or shove – from government to government, usually during times of war.

But their impact continues into periods of relative peace, trickling from the highest ranks of the ruling class down to the labourers and families that make up the backbone of a country’s economy. We have seen sanctions ravage Syria’s economy on and off since the 1970s, and hold throughout 14 years of civil war.

But following the fall of Mr Assad in December 2024, Syria has a new government, a new head of state and a caretaker cabinet that has promised to rebuild.

In this episode of Business Extra, we are looking at sanctions on Syria, the complexities of these measures and how the country’s economy might evolve after they are lifted.