Economic sanctions serve as a political tool to influence a target country's behavior without resorting to military action. They aim to compel compliance with international norms or agreements by imposing restrictions on trade, investment, or financial transactions. Typically, sanctions are used in response to violations such as human rights abuses or nuclear proliferation. While they can be effective in signaling disapproval and exerting pressure, sanctions may also lead to unintended consequences, such as humanitarian crises or strengthened nationalist sentiments within the targeted regime. The effectiveness hinges on the degree of international support and the resilience of the affected economy.