The United States granted immediate sanctions relief to Syria after President Donald Trump called for a complete end to sanctions on the country. The sanctions relief was announced by the U.S. Treasury Department and State Department on May 23.

Syria has welcomed the move by the Trump administration to ease sanctions, calling it a “positive step” to ease humanitarian and economic suffering in the war-torn country.

The Trump administration issued orders Friday to begin easing sanctions on Syria, marking a major policy shift after US President Donald Trump pledged earlier this month to roll back the measures during a trip to the Middle East.