The sanctions on Syria come at a time when Assad is grappling with a deepening economic crisis The fresh round of penalties designate Assad and his wife Asma personally WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday imposed its toughest sanctions ever targeting Syrian President Bashar Assad to choke off revenue for his government in a bid to force it back to United Nations-led negotiations and broker an end to the country’s nearly decade-long war. The fresh round of sanctions on Syria penalize 39 companies and individuals, including Assad and his wife Asma, whom along with her family Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described as “one of Syria’s most notorious war profiteers.” ********* READ MORE: Caesar Act sends Syria’s Bashar Assad a stark reality check New US sanctions aim to ‘starve’ Syria, Lebanon: Hezbollah ********* The new travel restrictions and financial sanctions strike Assad at a time when the Syrian leader is grappling with a deepening economic crisis after a decade of war and amid a rare outbreak of protests in government-held areas. In a statement announcing the designations imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act — signed by President Donald Trump in December — Pompeo said the new steps were the start of a sustained campaign of economic and political pressure against Assad and vowed more in the coming weeks. OPINION Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib US Caesar Act will press Russia to decide Bashar Assad’s fate READ ARTICLE “We anticipate many more sanctions and we will not stop until Assad and his regime stop their needless, brutal war against the Syrian people and the Syrian government agrees to a political solution to the conflict,” he said. Syria has already been under US and European Union sanctions that have frozen the assets of the state and hundreds of companies and individuals. Washington already bans export and investment in Syria by Americans, as well as transactions involving oil and hydrocarbon products. .@StateDept is taking action against individuals and entities who prop up the brutal Assad regime. The U.S. stands with the people of Syria and will hold accountable those who enable the Assad regime"s mass atrocities. It is time for Assad’s horrific, needless war to end. pic.twitter.com/oigyddkEf1 — Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) June 17, 2020 But the new sanctions can freeze the assets of anyone dealing with Syria, regardless of nationality, and cover many more sectors. It also targets those dealing with entities from Russia and Iran, Assad’s main backers. Pompeo said those designated, who also included Assad’s sister and brother, several top generals in his army and Iranian militia, have all played a key role in obstructing a peaceful political solution to the conflict. But he singled out Asma Assad. “I will make special note of the designation for the first time of Asma Assad, the wife of Bashar Assad, who with the support of her husband and members of her Akhras family has become one of Syria’s most notorious war profiteers,” he said. Syrian authorities blame Western sanctions for widespread hardship among ordinary residents, where the currency collapse has led to soaring prices and people struggling to afford food and basic supplies.