Parliament Considering Riposte to Possible New Anti-Iran Sanctions
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian lawmaker hinted on Monday that the parliament is working on a motion that will entail Iran’s “harsh reaction” to imposition of any fresh US sanctions on Tehran.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Monday, Ebrahim Karkhanei said the lawmakers are working out the motion that will be put to vote later.
Based on the motion, imposition of any new sanction by the US Congress or administration will draw the Islamic Republic of Iran’s harsh and retaliatory response, he noted.
Karkhanei said Tehran should have reacted to Washington’s repeated violation of the Geneva interim nuclear deal earlier.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on November 24, 2013, signed an interim nuclear deal in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Based on the interim accord (the Joint Plan of Action), the world powers agreed to suspend some non-essential sanctions and to impose no new nuclear-related bans in return for Tehran's decision to freeze parts of its nuclear activities.
Following the interim nuclear, two deadlines for a final, comprehensive deal have been missed, and now a third one is looming on July 1.
However, the US imposed several sanctions on many Iranian nationals and companies afterwards, accusing them of violating previous anti-Iran sanctions.
In the meantime, the new Republican-controlled US Congress is considering a fresh sanctions bill, despite strong opposition from President Barack Obama, who has threatened to veto any such legislation that lands on his desk.
On Sunday, supporters of Iran sanctions unveiled a toned-down bill aimed at gaining enough votes to override a presidential veto.
The bill would first reintroduce suspended sanctions if no deal is reached by July 1, before gradually slapping on new sanctions in the following months.