The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a Final Rule effective September 25, 2025 amending the Syria-Related Sanctions Regulations at 31 C.F.R. Part 569. The heading of these regulations is being changed to the “Promoting Accountability for Assad and Regional Stabilization Sanctions Regulations.” These amended regulations further implement Syria-related Executive Order 14312 (June 30, 2025). While earlier actions by President Donald Trump resulted in the removal of Syria sanctions regulations codified at 31 C.F.R. Part 542, OFAC made clear that certain sanctions would remain in place “against perpetrators of war crimes and human rights violations and abuses, and the proliferation of narcotics trafficking networks in and in relation to Syria during the former regime of Bashar al-Assad and by those associated with it.” As such, these amended regulations under Part 569 are focused on continuing sanctions on such persons and/or entities.
Mainly, the amended regulations update Executive Order citations and add EO 13894 as an appendix to the regulations. OFAC notes that these amended regulations “remain in abbreviated form at this time for the purpose of providing immediate guidance to the public,” and that they will be further supplemented with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive guidance and definitions, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions.
For additional background on OFAC’s changes to its Syria sanctions regulations since the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power, see Thompson Hine Updated dated January 9, 2025, May 27, 2025, June 30, 2025, and August 27, 2025.