U.S. Senate passes comprehensive sanction act on Iran

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a comprehensive sanction act on Iran, in a fresh effort to pressure Tehran to give up its nuclear program.

The Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act, which was passed by voice vote, would expand certain provisions under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 and impose new economic sanctions on Iran.

"The Iranian regime has engaged in serious human rights abuses against its own citizens, funded terrorist activity throughout the Middle East, and pursued illicit nuclear activities posing a serious threat to the security of the United States and our allies," said Democratic Senator Chris Dodd, who sponsored the act.

The United States, its European allies and Israel claim that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at developing nuclear weapons, while the UN Security Council also requires Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activity.

However, Iran insists that its nuclear plan is only for peaceful purposes, and continues its uranium enrichment activity despite pressure from Western countries and relevant resolutions and sanctions of the United Nations.

The act passed by the Senate is aimed at putting sanctions on those companies that do business with Iran's energy sector in developing petroleum resources or producing and exporting refined petroleum products.

The bill also imposes a broad ban on direct trade between the United States and Iran, and prohibits the U.S. government from purchasing goods from those companies that do business with Iran's energy sector.

The act allows the Obama administration to freeze the assets of Iranians who are involved in weapons proliferation or terrorism, and allows U.S. investors to divest from energy firms that do business with Iran.

As for the next step, the act should be combined with a similar bill passed by the House of Representatives in October to form a coordinated and unified version for approval by Congress.

Then, after being signed by U.S. president, the bill would become law.

The move by the Senate came just a day after President Barack Obama sent an ultimatum to Tehran on its nuclear program.

In his State of the Union address delivered Wednesday night in Congress, President Obama said the greatest danger facing the United States is the threat of nuclear weapons, adding that the administration has been pursuing a world without nuke.

Obama told lawmakers that the administration has been exerting diplomatic efforts to deal with "those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of these weapons."

"That is why the international community is more united, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is more isolated," said the president.

"As Iran's leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: They, too, will face growing consequences," he added.

Since it took office in January, the Obama administration has been trying to persuade Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear plan through the so-called engagement policy and the P5+1 (the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany) mechanism.

However, following months of interaction, the administration has admitted that its efforts have produced "very little in terms of any kind of a positive response" from Iran, warning to take the "second track" to bring the international community together to make Iranian leaders realize the "importance of changing their actions and decisions concerning their nuclear program."