Press Release by National Iranian American Council (NIAC)
Washington, DC - Today's vote by the House of Representatives to approve
broad Iran sanctions (H.R. 1905) and an expected vote by both chambers to
approve central bank sanctions as part of the National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA), represent a major step in the wrong direction for the United States'
Iran policy. H.R.1905 places legal restrictions on diplomacy and sanctions
Iran's civilian aviation sector. Both measures would place sanctions on Iran's
central bank. The NDAA is expected to go to the President this week to be
signed into law.
"These measures will not achieve anything but punish ordinary people, raise
gas prices, and bring the U.S. and Iran closer to war," said NIAC Policy
Director Jamal Abdi. "It will continue to squeeze Iranians and Iranian
Americans from both sides, between the repression of the Iranian regime and the
reckless sanctions policies of the United States."
H.R.1905 ignores the recent advice of Former Chairman of the Joint Chief of
Staff Michael Mullen who advocated for increasing avenues of communication
between our two countries to avoid "miscalculations" that could be so
catastrophic in consequence.
"By working to take diplomatic options off the table, the House is putting
restrictions on the only tool available to prevent a nuclear Iran and prevent a
disastrous military confrontation," said Abdi. "With tensions between the U.S.
and Iran already escalating at an alarming rate, we need more than ever to
dramatically ramp up diplomatic efforts, not restrict them."
The NDAA and H.R.1905 would impose sanctions on Iran's central bank.
Treasury officials have predicted that indiscriminate sanctions on Iran's
central bank would raise gas prices, which would be a "boon" for the Iranian
regime and cause "profound harm to the global economic recovery and a windfall
to Iran."
"This measure repeats the failed strategy used against Iraq that resulted in
massive humanitarian suffering, all while Saddam's regime profited," said Abdi.
"As the U.S. finally withdrawals from Iraq, we hardly need a reminder about how
'crippling' sanctions failed to depose Saddam and only paved the way for war."
H.R.1905 also eliminates the President's humanitarian waiver to allow for
parts and repairs of Iranian civilian airplanes, endangering Iranians and the
nearly one million Iranian Americans who fly to Iran every year. This
decade has seen over 1,000 people die in Iranian plane crashes, making Iran's
civilian flight record one of the world's deadliest.
Related News:
... Payvand News - 12/15/11 ... --
