Qatar Slated to Provide Gas to Syria With U.S. Approval

The new Syrian government is set to receive a power boost from Qatar — literally.

A Trump administration official confirmed on March 13 that Washington approved a deal whereby Qatar will supply natural gas to electricity-starved Syria via Jordan. The arrangement, which is a joint effort between the Qatar Fund for Development and the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, will reportedly involve transferring natural gas from Jordan to Syria’s Deir Ali power plant in Damascus. Syrian Electricity Minister Omar Shaqrouq said the project will help “generate an additional 400 megawatts of electricity, improving the power supply and increasing it by two to four hours per day.”

Qatar emerged as a primary power broker in Syria after a coalition of rebels unseated the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024. The energy initiative is one of Doha’s most significant shows of tangible support for Damascus since Assad’s ouster.

Qatar Provided Early Support to Syrian Jihadi Rebels

Syria is now run by former leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the successor to the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. According to American and Arab officials, Qatar began welcoming al-Nusra leaders to Doha as early as 2012 “for meetings with Qatari military officials and financiers.” In 2020, American photojournalist and former al-Nusra hostage Matthew Schrier sued the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) in the United States for allegedly providing “financial services” to “an international network of donors and charities” that helped fund al-Nusra’s operations. The court dismissed Schrier’s case in 2022 because he “failed to justify the exercise of personal jurisdiction over QIB.”

Qatar’s Role in Post-Assad Syria

Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar was the first foreign head of state to visit Damascus after Assad’s fall. He declared, “Qatar will stand with their Syrian brothers to achieve their goals of unity, justice, and freedom.” In a separate visit, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani promised logistical support, pledging, “We will restore the infrastructure in Syria and provide 200 megawatts of electricity.”

Qatar became the second country, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in Damascus. A Qatari official stated the move aimed to “strengthen coordination with the relevant authorities to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid currently provided by the State of Qatar to the Syrian people through the air bridge.”

Qatar’s new gas pipeline to Syria could be “an attempt to revive the Qatar-Turkey pipeline” aimed at supplying Qatari gas to Europe. Turkey has expressed optimism about restarting the project after Assad’s fall, stating it could move forward if “Syria achieves its territorial integrity and stability.” However, Qatar’s foreign ministry dismissed these claims as “nothing but media speculation.”

The Qataris had also asked Washington to “ease sanctions on Syria to allow them to provide funding through official channels,” according to an Arab diplomat.

⁠Washington Should Tie Sanctions Relief to Syria’s Conduct on Terrorism and Human Rights

Qatar initially held back aid to Syria, fearing U.S. sanctions, particularly restrictions on “providing Syria’s new rulers with funds to increase public sector pay.” However, its gas supply deal appears to have U.S. approval under General License No. 24, valid until July 2025, which explicitly “supports the flow of energy to or within Syria.” This general license allows business with “governing institutions in Syria,” including transactions with the interim government. Without it, sanctions would block most deals since both HTS and Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Shaara remain on the U.S. and UN terrorism blacklists.

After 14 years of war, Syrians face severe economic hardship. However, further sanctions relief should depend on the Syrian government’s commitment to prevent the country from becoming a sanctuary for terrorists and terror financiers. During recent violence on the Syrian coast, foreign militants linked to terrorist organizations committed widespread atrocities against civilians. If the government fails to hold them accountable, Washington should impose human rights sanctions targeting those responsible.

Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Natalie Ecanow is a senior research analyst. For more analysis from the authors, please subscribe HERE. Follow Ahmad on X @AhmadA_Sharawi. Follow Natalie on X @NatalieEcanow. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.