When a government imposes economic sanctions on a target the purpose is to:

protect the rights of the citizens of the state target against their own government and improve financial stability in the region.

indicate that the use of military force is likely unless the state or non-state target complies with the government's

interests encourage non-governmental organizations to increase the provision of humanitarian and charitable aid to the target

alter the behavior of the state or non-state target that threatens the interests of that government or violates international norms