US State Sponsors of Terrorism List
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
This list is a significant tool in US foreign policy, impacting international relations, global trade, and the geopolitical landscape. Understanding its implications is crucial for analyzing international events and the dynamics of power, especially concerning countries like Iran, North Korea, and Cuba.
The United States maintains a "State Sponsors of Terrorism" (SST) list, a designation applied to countries that the Secretary of State determines have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. This designation triggers severe US economic sanctions and restrictions on aid and trade.
Facts & tables
- Designating Authority
- US Secretary of State
- Delisting Process
- Requires notification to Congress, effective in 45 days unless blocked
- Implications
- Imposes severe economic and financial sanctions, impedes investment
- Current Countries (post-Syria delisting)
- Iran, North Korea, Cuba
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| United States Department of State | Designates and delists countries |
| United States Congress | Notified for delisting, can block |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding
- US foreign policy designation.
- Imposes severe economic sanctions.
- Requires Congressional notification for changes.
- Impacts international trade and investment.
- Currently includes Iran, North Korea, Cuba.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Cause and effect relationships |
| 2024 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2018 | Factual recall, Terminology-based question |
| 2016 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
Timeline
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International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2016
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2018
Factual recall, Terminology-based question
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Cause and effect relationships
-
Prelims 2024
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
U.S. to remove Syria from terror blacklist, in new boost to Sharaa
The US State Sponsors of Terrorism list is a foreign policy tool imposing severe sanctions on designated countries, significantly impacting their international economic and political standing and requiring Congressional notification for changes.
See also
Past papers
2016–2024 · 8 questions
In the news
U.S. to remove Syria from terror blacklist, in new boost to Sharaa
The US State Sponsors of Terrorism list is a foreign policy tool imposing severe sanctions on designated countries, significantly impacting their international economic and political standing and requiring Congressional notification for changes.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
Consider the following pairs:
Country - Important reason for being in the news recently
1. Chad – Setting up of permanent military base by China.
2. Guinea – Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
3. Lebanon – Severe and prolonged economic depression
4. Tunisia – Suspension of Parliament by President
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. China has not established any permanent military base in Chad. Pair 2 is correctly matched. Guinean special forces staged a coup, captured President Alpha Conde, replaced governors with the military, and dissolved the constitution and National Assembly. Pair 3 is correctly matched. Lebanon has been experiencing a severe and prolonged economic depression since 2019, driven by political instability, inadequate reforms, and systemic corruption. The economic crisis has affected approximately 74% of the population. Pair 4 is correctly matched. Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the suspended parliament after lawmakers held an online meeting and voted to repeal presidential decrees. He called it a failed coup attempt.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people from fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement-I: Incorrect. Venezuela continues to suffer from a severe economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, shortages of basic goods, and political instability. This crisis has led to a massive exodus of Venezuelans seeking better living conditions in neighboring countries and beyond. Statement-II: Correct. Venezuela indeed possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, surpassing even Saudi Arabia. However, despite this vast resource wealth, economic mismanagement, corruption, and international sanctions have crippled its oil industry and hindered its ability to leverage this asset for economic recovery.
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements:
1. The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States.
2. Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly.
3. Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Statement 1 is correct. The United Nations General Assembly may grant non-member states, international organizations, and other entities Permanent Observer Status. Statement 2 is correct. The General Assembly decided that observer status would be confined to States and intergovernmental organizations whose activities cover matters of interest to the Assembly. Statement 3 is correct. Permanent Observers may participate in the sessions and workings of the General Assembly and maintain missions at the UN Headquarters.
The term "two-state solution" is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of -
The Two-State Solution is used in the context of the Israel-Palestine issue. It envisages an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel west of the Jordan River.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following pairs :
Country | Reason for being in the news|
|- | -|
|1. Argentina | Worst economic crisis|
|2. Sudan | War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces|
|3. Turkey | Rescinded its membership of NATO|
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
* Argentina - Worst economic crisis: Correct. Argentina has been facing a severe economic crisis for a while, marked by high inflation, debt, and poverty. * Sudan - War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces: Correct. Sudan has been engulfed in a violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. * Turkey - Rescinded its membership of NATO: Incorrect. Turkey has not rescinded its membership of NATO. While there have been tensions between Turkey and other NATO members, it remains a member. _Therefore, only two out of the three pairs are correctly matched._
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region.
Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Statement-I: There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. This statement is correct as the Sahel region has been experiencing significant instability and security challenges, including terrorism, armed conflict, and humanitarian crises. * Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past. This statement is also correct. Several countries in the Sahel region, such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad, have experienced military coups in recent years. * Statement-II explains Statement-I because the military takeovers and coups contribute to the instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. The political instability resulting from these coups disrupts governance, exacerbates conflict, and undermines efforts to address security and development challenges in the region.
Consider the following statements regarding the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS):
1. The summit held in 2015 marked the third edition of the IAFS.
2. The IAFS mechanism was instituted under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: The Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III) was hosted in New Delhi in October 2015. The first and second summits were held in 2008 (New Delhi) and 2011 (Addis Ababa), respectively, making the 2015 event the third edition. Statement 2 is incorrect: The India-Africa Forum Summit was institutionalized in 2008 to serve as the official platform for African-Indian relations. While Jawaharlal Nehru was a pioneer of Afro-Asian solidarity (e.g., the Asian Relations Conference of 1947), the IAFS is a distinct 21st-century initiative and was not established in 1951.