It’s been a wild ride for Syria’s interim President, Ahmed al Sharaa.

Recently, he was photographed alongside Donald Trump in Riyadh, marking a historic moment: the announcement of the end of U.S. sanctions on Syria. It’s quite the turnaround for a man who once had a $10 million bounty on his head.

There’s a growing sense of optimism about Syria’s reintegration into the global financial system, after years of international isolation.

Our expert host, Marit Rødevand, is joined by Luma Zitani, financial crime practitioner, to ask: Trump lifts sanctions on Syria – now what?

The pair discuss: how sanctions have impacted Syria for decades, the impact of Trump's announcement, and can you just turn off sanctions like turning off a tap?

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Producer: Matthew Dunne-Miles

Editor: Dominic Delargy

Engineer: Nicholas Thon

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The Laundry podcast explores the complex world of financial crime, anti-money laundering (AML), compliance, sanctions, and global financial regulation.

Hosted by Marit Rødevand, Fredrik Riiser, and Robin Lycka, each episode features in-depth conversations with leading experts from banking, fintech, regulatory bodies, and investigative journalism.

Tune in as we dissect headline news, unpack regulatory trends, and examine the real-world consequences of non-compliance — all through a uniquely compliance-focused lens.

The Laundry is proudly produced by Strise.

Get in touch at: [email protected]

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