US Senators Seek New Iran Sanctions

US senators introduced a bill to impose sanctions on Iran’s aircraft sector for the alleged use of commercial aircraft to “support terrorism”, Senator Marco Rubio said in a press release on Friday. According to Sputnik, the legislation would require US President Donald Trump’s administration to regularly report to Congress if Iran uses civilian aircraft for the purposes of transporting any illicit cargo, such as weapons, troops, electronics or rocket or missile components. “[Lawmakers] introduced the Iran Terror-Free Skies Act, legislation that would counter Iran’s use of commercial aircraft in support of international terrorism and state sponsors of terrorism,” the press release alleged.  “The legislation would also require the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control to impose new sanctions against the designated Iranian commercial airlines.” Additionally, the administration would have to report the use of commercial aircraft to support Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, armed forces, Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government or any foreign organizations that the US labels as terrorist. The US Treasury Department would have to impose new sanctions against Iranian commercial airliners if Trump determines they have engaged in illicit military activities after the Iran nuclear deal was implemented in Jan. 2016.