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US Missile Sanctions Futile Due to Lack of UN Support

US Missile Sanctions Futile Due to Lack of UN Support
US Missile Sanctions Futile Due to Lack of UN Support

Sanctions imposed unilaterally against Iran over its missile development activity will not affect it significantly as they fail to win the UN support, a lawmaker said, referring to an upcoming sanctions bill in the US House of Representatives.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has not committed any violation in the area of missile production. The sanctions against Iran’s missile program that are under consideration in the house will have no impact on Iran because they will not be backed by the ratification of a global body like [the United Nations] Security Council,” Jalil Rahimi said in an interview with ICANA on Sunday.

The house is to vote this week on new sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and on Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah resistance group, senior house Republicans said on Friday, seeking to take a tough line against Iran without moving to undermine the international nuclear deal.

US President Donald Trump defied allies on Oct. 13 by refusing to certify that Iran is complying with an international agreement on its nuclear program and threatened that he might ultimately terminate the accord. That threw the fate of the agreement concerning Iran, the United States and other world powers into the hands of congress, by opening a 60-day window in which congress could reimpose, or “snap back”, sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program that were lifted under the agreement.

However, many of Trump’s fellow Republicans—who all opposed the deal reached under former Democratic president, Barack Obama—have said they see no immediate need to do so.

Congressional aides said that, for now, house lawmakers are focusing on clamping down on Iran in other ways such as the missile and Hezbollah sanctions.

In the senate, a separate effort is underway to amend US law to set new conditions for the US role in the pact, although critics said such a plan could violate terms of the deal.

  Bid to Curb Tehran’s Clout

A UN resolution adopted to endorse the nuclear deal days after its conclusion in July 2015 calls upon Iran to refrain from work related to missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Rahimi reiterated the Islamic Republic’s assertion that it has no such plans.

“The Americans are seeking to pressure the Islamic Republic to contain its influence in the Middle East. The Islamic Republic is aware of all the rules governing the missile sector and feels bound to observe them.”

 Britain, France and Germany, European US allies who signed the nuclear agreement, are particularly concerned about Trump’s action and have lobbied congress to preserve the nuclear pact.

Among other things, the ballistic missiles bill would toughen existing sanctions by going after entities with assets outside the United States if they were found to support Iran’s ballistic missile program.

It has broad bipartisan support in the house and is also expected to pass the senate.

 

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