Rule2026-19657
Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 25, 2026
Effective
September 25, 2026
Issuing agencies
Treasury DepartmentForeign Assets Control Office
Abstract
The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is amending the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations to implement changes resulting from the rescission of the designation of Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Specifically, OFAC is removing and reserving a Syria-specific general license because the authorization is no longer necessary following the rescission.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 185 (Friday, September 25, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 185 (Friday, September 25, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60825-60826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19657]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Office of Foreign Assets Control
31 CFR Part 596
Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations
AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC) is amending the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions
Regulations to implement changes resulting from the rescission of the
designation of Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Specifically,
OFAC is removing and reserving a Syria-specific general license because
the authorization is no longer necessary following the rescission.
DATES: This rule is effective September 25, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: OFAC: Assistant Director for
Regulatory Affairs, tel.: 202-622-4855; or <a href="https://ofac.treasury.gov/contact-ofac">https://ofac.treasury.gov/contact-ofac</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Availability
This document and additional information concerning OFAC are
available on OFAC's website: <a href="https://ofac.treasury.gov">https://ofac.treasury.gov</a>.
Background
On December 29, 1979, in accordance with section 6(i)(1) of the
Export Administration Act of 1979, the President designated Syria as a
State Sponsor of Terrorism (2 Pub. Papers 2290, 2294 (December 29,
1979)). On August 22, 1996, OFAC promulgated the Terrorism List
Governments Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 596 (61 FR 43462, August
23, 1996) (the ``Regulations''), to implement section 321 of the
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (18 U.S.C.
2332d). The Regulations have been updated multiple times since then,
most recently December 2022 (87 FR 78481, December. 21, 2022), when two
general licenses were added.
On July 8, 2026, consistent with section 1754(c)(4) of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)(4)),
the President certified and reported to Congress that the Government of
Syria had not provided any support for acts of international terrorism
during the preceding six-month period and that the Government of Syria
had provided assurances that it would not support acts of international
terrorism in the future (H. Doc. 119-168, 119th Cong., 2d sess., at 3
(2026)). Effective August 24, 2026, based on the considerations
regarding Syria contained in the memorandum accompanying the
Presidential Report of July 8, 2026, and in accordance with applicable
law, the Secretary of State rescinded Syria's designation as a State
Sponsor of Terrorism (91 FR 55965, August 31, 2026).
In accordance with the rescission of the designation of Syria as a
State Sponsor of Terrorism, the Government of Syria is no longer a
Terrorism List Government for purposes of the Regulations. Accordingly,
the Syria-specific general license in Sec. 596.505 is no longer
necessary, and this rule removes and reserves that section.
Public Participation
Because the Regulations involve a foreign affairs function, the
provisions of E.O. 12866 of September 30, 1993, ``Regulatory Planning
and Review'' (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), as amended, and the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of
proposed rulemaking, opportunity for public participation, and delay in
effective date, as well as the provisions of E.O. 14192 of January 31,
2025, ``Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation'' (90 FR 6065,
February 6, 2025), and E.O. 14219 of February 19, 2025, ``Ensuring
Lawful Governance and Implementing the President's `Department of
Government Efficiency' Deregulatory Initiative'' (90 FR 10583, February
25, 2025), are inapplicable. Because no notice of proposed rulemaking
is required for this rule, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C.
601-612) does not apply.
Executive Order 14294
Section 5 of E.O. 14294 of May 9, 2025, ``Fighting
Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations'' (90 FR 20367, May 14,
2025), directs that all future notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs)
and final rules published in the Federal Register, the violation of
which may constitute criminal regulatory offenses, should include a
statement identifying that the rule or proposed rule is a criminal
regulatory offense and the authorizing statute. E.O. 14294 directs
agencies to draft this statement in consultation with the Department of
Justice.
E.O. 14294 further directs that the regulatory text of all NPRMs
and final rules with criminal consequences published in the Federal
Register after May 9, 2025, should explicitly state a mens rea
requirement for each element of a criminal regulatory offense,
accompanied by citations to the relevant provisions of the authorizing
statute.
Willful violations of the regulations set forth in this final rule
may be subject to criminal penalties pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1705 and
regulations promulgated thereunder. The statutory authority for
criminal liability requires a mens rea of willfulness as an element
pursuant to 50 U.S.C. 1705(c). In drafting this statement, OFAC has
consulted with the Department of Justice.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The collections of information related to the Regulations are
contained in 31 CFR part 501 (the ``Reporting, Procedures and Penalties
Regulations''). Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507), those collections of information have been approved by
the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1505-0164. An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of
information displays a valid control number.
[[Page 60826]]
List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 596
Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, Banking, Credit,
Foreign trade, Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements,
Sanctions, Terrorism.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, OFAC amends 31 CFR part
596 as follows:
PART 596--TERRORISM LIST GOVERNMENTS SANCTIONS REGULATIONS
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1. The authority citation for part 596 is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 18 U.S.C. 2332d; 22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.; 31 U.S.C.
321(b).
Subpart E--Licenses, Authorizations and Statements of Licensing
Policy
Sec. 596.505 [Removed and Reserved]
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2. Remove and reserve Sec. 596.505.
Bradley T. Smith,
Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
[FR Doc. 2026-19657 Filed 9-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AL-P
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