"Any aggression against Syria is akin to US support for Israeli aggressions against Syria and the Arabs"

Syria denounced Thursday US sanctions imposed on President Bashar al-Assad and top aides, saying they were part of long-time efforts by Washington to impose its will in the region to Israel's benefit.
  
"The US measures are part of a series of sanctions imposed by successive US administrations against the Syrian people as part of a regional scheme, aimed primarily at serving Israel's interests," the official SANA news agency said. "Any aggression against Syria is akin to US support for Israeli aggressions against Syria and the Arabs," it added. It said the sanctions "have not and will not" affect decisions taken by the Syrian government or its struggle against US hegemony.

The United States told Assad to lead a transition toward democracy or step down.

Syrian Al-Watan daily said the sanctions were aimed at pressuring Syria to sever its ties with allies Iran and resistance movements Hezbollah and Hamas.
  
"We are saying that we oppose his behavior and that he needs to stop his policies of repression and mass arrests and begin a political transition that ensures fair representation and democratic rights for Syrians," said the executive order issued by President Barack Obama. "We are also saying that Assad is isolating himself from the international community due to his egregious actions," it added.
  
"It is up to Assad to lead a political transition or to leave."
  
The sanctions allow the US to freeze any assets owned in the United States by Assad and his top aides and ban any individuals or US companies from dealing with them. It was unclear what assets would be blocked.
  
Apart from Assad, also hit by the sanctions are: Vice President Faruq al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar, Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmud, military intelligence chief Abdul Fatah Qudsiya and Mohammed Dib Zaitoun, director of the Political Security Directorate. Also named were Ali Mamluk, director of Syria's Intelligence Directorate, and Atif Najib, the ex-head of intelligence in Daraa province.
  
The US Treasury in addition imposed sanctions on three entities -- Syrian Military Intelligence, the Syrian National Security Bureau and Syrian Air Force Intelligence -- as well as Hafiz Makhluf, a cousin of Assad.
  
The European Union, which has imposed sanctions on members of Assad's inner circle, has said it is also contemplating sanctions against the president. UN chief Ban Ki-moon told AFP Wednesday he had been urging Assad to carry out reforms before it is too late. "I have been urging President Assad to engage in dialogue and before it is too late, try to take bold and decisive measures to meet the expectations of people," he said. "What I have been troubled by in the last several months is that leaders in the region have come out always too late, too little."