New act to increase U.S. pressures on Iran in Syria

Islam Mohamed

Some people are closely following the expected coming into effect later this month of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, also known as the Caesar Act, which sanctions the Syrian regime, including Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, for war crimes against the Syrian population.

The act also targets individuals and businesses who provide funding or assistance to the president of Syria.

This means that Iran, a main backer of the Syrian president, can be on top of the countries that will be targeted by the act.

Iran operates militias that have tens of thousands of members in Syria.

Also to be targeted by U.S. sanctions will be official entities in the Syrian state, including companies that will participate in the reconstruction of Syria. This also means that Iran will not be able to reap the fruits of its involvement in Syria by participating in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.

Iran coughed up tens of billions of dollars in Syria in the past years. It recruited a huge number of mercenaries from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq for its operations in Syria. Iran also lost a large number of its military commanders in the Syrian war.

Iran has been reeling under U.S. economic sanctions since 2018. This is why it is not capable of dealing with any additional sanctions, especially after it was weakened by its involvement in regional wars and its deteriorating internal conditions.

The new act allows Washington to tighten supervision on the Syrian coast. It includes sanctions that will come into effect as of mid-July until the end of August.