Don’t Let Syria Distract from Iran Opening
“Amid the debate over how to respond to Bashar al-Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people…But while the United States may not be able to orchestrate a decisive shift in the civil war, another vexed issue for U.S. diplomats may be ripe for a breakthrough Iran’s nuclear program.”
The Most Disingenuous Argument for Sanctions Yet
“The hopeful signs are significant–Hassan Rouhani was just sworn in as president after running on a platform of moderation and reconciliation with the West, and he has sent strong signals he wants to engage productively to resolve the nuclear issue.”
Nuclear fishing boats and further proof that Congress is losing it on Iran
It is no secret that some of the most hawkish U.S. policies and positions towards Iran over its disputed nuclear program have come not from the Executive branch, but from Congress. Spurred on by AIPAC and other powerful pro-war lobbies and organizations, Congress has become a cesspool for blatant and often bizarre war-mongering Iran resolutions. […]
Senate Considers Iraq-Style Regime Change Policy for Iran
A bipartisan group of Senators led by Mark Kirk (R-IL) is reportedly considering a new, draconian round of sanctions on Iran that could only be lifted if Iran moves “toward a free and democratically elected government.”
New Sanctions Are Incremental Step to Iran War, Include No Medicine Fix
This is not the total embargo that hardliners were pushing, but is another incremental step towards the full exhaustion of sanctions and to a military endgame.
Congressional push for sanctions on food and medicine
It’s that time of year again–when Republicans and Democrats in Congress takes a break from wringing each other’s necks to pass a piece of legislation to “tighten the noose” around Iran just in time for campaign season. For those just checking in, here’s an example of what our current sanctions are already doing on the […]
NIAC, Coalition Urge Congress Not to Block Food and Medicine to Iran
NIAC joined the Friends Committee on National Legislation and nine other national organizations to urge the U.S. Congress to reject proposed sanctions legislation that would cut off humanitarian items to Iran, such as food, medicine, and family remittances.
Dumb and Dumber Sanctions
What happens when Senator Mark Kirk and Rep. Brad Sherman — the two leading advocates in Congress for sanctions that deliberately hurt the Iranian people — get together to design a new Iran sanctions package with the neoconservative “Foundation for Defense of Democracies”? The result is legislation that would impose extraterritorial sanctions on all Iranian banks […]
Collective punishment was always the point of crippling Iran sanctions
A YNet article, “Israeli officials: Starve Iranians to stop nukes” is reopening the debate about what is the goal of our broad sanctions regime against Iran, with some saying such sentiments reek of collective punishment. But really, the cat has been out of the bag on this one for a long time. Broad, indiscriminate, “crippling” […]
White House and Congress Clash on Iranian Central Bank Sanctions
Obama Administration officials expressed strong opposition on Capitol Hill to a Senate proposal that would force the President to impose sanctions on countries and companies that do business with Iran’s central bank. Hours later, however, the Senate passed the measure unanimously, attaching it to the annual defense authorization bill.
Senate Passes Sanctions Despite White House Objections
Despite strong opposition from Obama Administration officials, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to force the President to impose sanctions on countries and companies that do business with Iran’s central bank or purchase Iranian oil.
The nuclear option: central bank sanctions
Last August, a letter pushed by AIPAC from Mark Kirk (R-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), 92 Senators called for the White House to impose sanctions on Iran’s central bank, Bank Markazi. Though the Wall Street Journal reported that such action could be considered an act of war, Kirk posed an ultimatum to the Obama Administration–either issue sanctions or we’ll pass legislation […]