United States President Donald Trump has announced that US sanctions on Syria will be lifted, in a huge boost to the government in Tehran, which took power after the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December.

European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday agreed to lift the remaining economic curbs on the war-torn country, amid concerns it could slip back into conflict.

It will be done quickly, and certainly more quickly than we're used to,' spokesperson says about Trump's order to lift sanctions