Senate targets Iran in sweeping measures

By: Keyvan Salami

Despite its nature of acting mostly in a polarized manner, the US Senate witnessed Republicans and Democrats joining force to pass a bill of sweeping sanctions inflicting strong punishments against Iran involving a long slate of financial penalties.

The overwhelming 98-2 vote for the “The Countering Iran’s Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017” came on Thursday June 15, sending a clearly strong message to Tehran signaling the bipartisan alliance on taking measures against the mullahs’ belligerence inside and abroad. Iran’s ballistic missile program, support for terrorist groups and human rights violations are in the crosshairs of this sanctions package.

This bipartisan vote will be demanding major action from the Trump administration, especially after lawmakers in a recent hearing called on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization.