House Panel Approves New Iran Sanctions

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House Panel Approves New Iran Sanctions

A House panel today approved new sanctions targeting Iran and those who do business with its Islamic regime, along with a warning to President Bush that Congress strongly prefers economic pressure to military action.

The legislation, approved 37-1 by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is an effort by the committee to crack down on Iran’s reported ambitions to build a nuclear weapon. It is the broadest measure targeting Iran that Congress has taken up this year and has widespread, bipartisan support.

However, the bill’s text makes clear that the Bush administration should not interpret anything in the legislation as congressional authorization for a military strike against Iran. Lantos cited the U.S. invasion of Iraq as evidence that military action should only be used as a last resort.

The bill would remove the administration’s ability to waive sanctions on corporations doing business with Iran’s energy industry. It would bar all Iranian imports to the United States and expand sanctions on exports to Iran.

It also would block U.S. nuclear cooperation with countries assisting Iran’s nuclear program and eliminate some tax incentives for oil companies investing in Iran.