In a major policy shift, the United States Department of State has formally revoked the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation of al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The decision, dated June 23, 2025, was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and comes after consultations with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury.

According to the official notice, the revocation is pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)(6)(A)). The State Department’s determination will be published in the Federal Register on July 8, 2025, and will go into effect immediately upon publication.

HTS, a powerful armed faction in Syria, has been previously designated under multiple aliases due to its links with al-Qaeda. The group has undergone significant ideological and structural changes in recent years, distancing itself from its original affiliations and seeking to portray itself as a local opposition force within Syria’s Idlib region.

The move is likely to generate significant geopolitical and legal debate, particularly regarding its implications for U.S. policy in Syria and the wider region.