The United States placed Wednesday the hardest sanctions ever against Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, to stifle his government’s revenue.
The purpose is to push it back into the United Nations-led talks and to negotiate an end to the country’s almost decade-long conflict.
Washington called the latest round of sanctions against Syria as the first glimpse of a bigger and deeper campaign of pressure against Assad. It comes at a time when the Syrian leader is dealing with a deepening economic recession after a decade of war and in the middle of an unprecedented outbreak of demonstrations in government-held regions.
In addition, the new travel bans and economic sanctions target Assad’s close circle, including his wife, Asma. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, identified Asma and her family as “one of Syria’s most notorious war profiteers.”
The sanctions also include Assad’s mother, son, a few senior generals, and the Iranian militia.
Moreover, in a press release, the designations were placed under an executive order and the Caesar Syria Civilian protection act. President Trump approved the latter in December. Pompeo said the new actions were the beginning of a prolonged economic and political pressure campaign against Assad; pledged more in the weeks ahead.
Broken Syria
Syria has already been subject to sanctions by the US and the European Union. These sanctions thawed the state’s assets and hundreds of companies and individuals.
Washington also forbids Americans from selling and trading in Syria, including sales involving oil, including hydrocarbon products.
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The new sanctions will freeze the properties of anyone engaging with Syria, irrespective of nationality. Besides, it includes even more sectors. It also includes those dealing with Russian and Iranian entities, the principal backers of Assad.
A senior official in the government said investment plans had already faded out in regions in a call with RushHourDaily. This included reconstruction aimed to support Assad’s government because of fear of the Caesar Act. “It’s intended to keep foreign investors out,” he said.
“If you engage in these sectors, you will be cut off from the US financial system, the most powerful in the world. For you, as a company, you choose between investing in a broken country,” stated Elizabeth Tsurkov, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Furthermore, Pompeo said all of those designated played a significant role in blocking a peaceful democratic solution to the conflict. But he specifically called out Asma al-Assad.
“I will make specific comments of the designation for the first time of Asma al-Assad, the wife of Bashar al-Assad.
With the help of her husband and members of her Akhras family, she became one of Syria’s most notorious war profiteers,” he said.
Syrian officials condemn western sanctions for prevalent misery, where the currency collapse has contributed to increasing inflation and citizens unable to purchase food and essential goods.
