[ad_1]
The United States imposed new sanctions on the Syrian regime, targeting the Central Bank of Syria and blacklisting various individuals and entities as part of its continuing efforts to cut funding to the government of Syrian regime president Bashar al-Assad.
On Tuesday, these moves come in the wake of a series of sanctions imposed by Washington on Syria this year, and represent a new round in U.S. attempts to pressure the Assad government to return to United Nations-led negotiations to end the civil war that began about 10 years ago.
A statement issued by the United States Department of the Treasury said the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on a high-ranking official and her husband, a member of parliament, and their businesses.
The statement from the Treasury Department indicated that the two figures Washington included on the sanctions list are Lina Muhammad Nazir al-Kuna, director of the Monitoring Office in the Syrian Presidency, and her husband, Muhammad Hammam Muhammad Adnan al-Masuti, member of parliament.
According to the statement, the total number of people attacked today is 2 people, 9 business companies and the Central Bank of Syria.
The statement emphasized that the ministry aims, through this procedure, “to discourage future investment in the areas controlled by the regime, forcing it to end its atrocities against the Syrian people, and forcing it into the process facilitated by the United Nations of in accordance with Resolution 2254 of the UN Security Council “.
The statement quoted Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as saying: “This week, a year ago, President Donald Trump signed the ‘Caesar Act’, which was an important step reinforced by today’s action to hold the Assad regime accountable. for the atrocities he committed against his people.
Today @The United States Treasury He targeted officials from the Syrian regime and the Central Bank of Syria. https://t.co/z4cfbkVZVF
– Steven Mnuchin (@ stevenmnuchin1) December 22, 2020
According to the Treasury Department, Lina Al-Kouniya carried out a number of business and personal activities on behalf of Asma Al-Assad, the wife of the head of the regime, and previously headed his office.
She reported that Masouti’s connections through his wife, as well as his huge business and financial assets, make him an extraordinarily influential MP.
“The United States will continue to seek accountability for those who prolong this conflict,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
Pompeo said his ministry had also imposed sanctions on Asma al-Assad, the Syrian president’s British wife, accusing her of obstructing efforts to reach a political solution to the war, along with several members of her family. Washington imposed sanctions on Asma al-Assad last June.
Millions have fled Syria and millions more have been internally displaced since Assad’s crackdown on protesters in 2011 led to a civil war in which Iran and Russia supported the Syrian regime.
Syria is subject to sanctions from the United States and the European Union that have resulted in the freezing of foreign assets owned by the state and hundreds of companies and individuals.
Washington already bans exports to Syria and investment by Americans there, as well as transactions related to oil and gas products.
[ad_2]
