The foreign ministry welcomed on Sunday a US decision to renew the lifting of defence restrictions on Cyprus for the next fiscal year.

The move allows the export, re-export and transfer of weaponry and services from the US to Cyprus during that period.

The ministry called such a move recognition of “the continued expansion of the strategic partnership and cooperation” between the two countries, reflecting “shared priorities in promoting stability” across the Levant.

The statement further cited recent progress, including the ‘defence and security cooperation dialogue’ set up in 2021 and a ‘bilateral defence cooperation roadmap’ signed in 2024.

Cyprus has also gained access to US defence programmes such as foreign military sales and excess defence articles.

The ministry said the renewal “contributes to the further deepening of bilateral cooperation” and thanked bipartisan efforts in Congress aimed at securing a long-term exemption.

The embargo has been in place since 1987, imposed to supposedly encourage reunification following the Turkish invasion of 1974 and unilateral declaration of independence of the occupied north in 1983.

It is at present lifted through annual waivers, a system critics say has pushed Cyprus towards alternative arms suppliers, such as previous arrangements with Russia, and limits deeper cooperation with western partners.

Republican congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis has pressed Congress to pass the ‘End Cyprus Embargo Act’, permanently removing the restrictions.

The American Jewish Committee and the Hellenic American Leadership Council have made similar calls, arguing in a joint article that “the security of Cyprus and its role as a factor of stability in the region are inextricably linked to the broader effort to counter terrorist networks supported by the Iranian regime”.

The foreign ministry said the renewed exemption would strengthen “the predictability and stability of Cyprus-US cooperation” and give Cyprus a more stable framework for defence planning.