Gina-Marie CheesemanU.S. Sanctions Against Iraq
October 27th 2007 06:26
The Bush administration imposed sanctions against the Iranian government on Thursday, October 25, 2007, alleging that Iran has a nuclear weapon's program, and accusing Quds, the elite division of the Revolutionary Guard Corps of sponsoring terrorism. Three Iranian banks and Quds were banned from dealing with the American financial system.
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said, "These actions will help to protect the international financial system from the illicit activities of the Iranian government. They will provide a powerful deterrent to every international bank and company that thinks of doing business with the Iranian government."
Rice went on to say that "no US citizen or a private organization will be allowed to engage in financial transactions with these persons and entities," Rice explained.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson added, “It is plain and simple: Reputable institutions do not want to be the bankers for this dangerous regime.”
"The new sanctions are an extension of a long-standing failed policy first begun under the Reagan administration and extended under the Clinton administration," believes William Beeman, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota who has conducted research in Iran for over 30 years.
According to Beeman, the U.S. has not dealt successfully with Iran because " the U.S. has never articulated what it wants to accomplish" and "calls for Iran to cease doing things that Iran says it is not doing in the first place."
Barbara Slavin, author of new book, Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation, describes the sanctions as a "slow-motions train wreck" because "neither side is willing to back down and the chances for conflict are growing over the nuclear program and Iran's support for U.S. adversaries in the Middle East."
Earlier in August the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report on Iran's nuclear program. The report detailed the agreement between Iran and the IAEA to resolve all issues raised by the UN by December this year. The report characterized Iran's nuclear program as "peaceful." Article IV of the report stated the "Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of the declared nuclear materials at the enrichment facilities in Iran and has therefore concluded that it remains in peaceful use."
"The United States' hostile policy toward the noble nation of Iran...runs contrary to international law, is worthless, and is doomed to failure, as before," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali-Hosseini.
The Revolutionary Guards Corps' commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said, "Now as always, the IRGC is ready to defend the ideals of the revolution more than ever before."
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad called the sanctions "a pile of papers that have no value."
Spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s foreign affairs and security commission Kazem Jalali said, "The revolutionary guards is an official force in Iran and it is clear that labelling them terrorists is interfering in the domestic affairs of a sovereign nation.”
Jalali added, “If things are seen this way then most of the US forces who are doing operations in different parts of the world and hurting innocent people are terrorists…This will make the wall of distrust between Iran and the United States higher every day and will close down dialogue."
"Why worsen the situation by threatening sanctions and bring it to a dead end? It's not the best way to resolve the situation by running around like a madman with a razor blade in his hand," declared Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Dialogue and negotiations are the best approach to resolving the Iranian nuclear issue,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, "Israel welcomes the U.S. government's decision. We see this as an important contribution to the international effort to intensify pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear program."
British Foreign Office spokesman said, “We are prepared to lead the way to a third resolution of sanctions, and at the same time support tougher European Union sanctions."
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said, "These actions will help to protect the international financial system from the illicit activities of the Iranian government. They will provide a powerful deterrent to every international bank and company that thinks of doing business with the Iranian government."
Rice went on to say that "no US citizen or a private organization will be allowed to engage in financial transactions with these persons and entities," Rice explained.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson added, “It is plain and simple: Reputable institutions do not want to be the bankers for this dangerous regime.”
"The new sanctions are an extension of a long-standing failed policy first begun under the Reagan administration and extended under the Clinton administration," believes William Beeman, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Minnesota who has conducted research in Iran for over 30 years.
According to Beeman, the U.S. has not dealt successfully with Iran because " the U.S. has never articulated what it wants to accomplish" and "calls for Iran to cease doing things that Iran says it is not doing in the first place."
Barbara Slavin, author of new book, Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S. and the Twisted Path to Confrontation, describes the sanctions as a "slow-motions train wreck" because "neither side is willing to back down and the chances for conflict are growing over the nuclear program and Iran's support for U.S. adversaries in the Middle East."
Earlier in August the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report on Iran's nuclear program. The report detailed the agreement between Iran and the IAEA to resolve all issues raised by the UN by December this year. The report characterized Iran's nuclear program as "peaceful." Article IV of the report stated the "Agency has been able to verify the non-diversion of the declared nuclear materials at the enrichment facilities in Iran and has therefore concluded that it remains in peaceful use."
"The United States' hostile policy toward the noble nation of Iran...runs contrary to international law, is worthless, and is doomed to failure, as before," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali-Hosseini.
The Revolutionary Guards Corps' commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said, "Now as always, the IRGC is ready to defend the ideals of the revolution more than ever before."
Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad called the sanctions "a pile of papers that have no value."
Spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s foreign affairs and security commission Kazem Jalali said, "The revolutionary guards is an official force in Iran and it is clear that labelling them terrorists is interfering in the domestic affairs of a sovereign nation.”
Jalali added, “If things are seen this way then most of the US forces who are doing operations in different parts of the world and hurting innocent people are terrorists…This will make the wall of distrust between Iran and the United States higher every day and will close down dialogue."
"Why worsen the situation by threatening sanctions and bring it to a dead end? It's not the best way to resolve the situation by running around like a madman with a razor blade in his hand," declared Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Dialogue and negotiations are the best approach to resolving the Iranian nuclear issue,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, "Israel welcomes the U.S. government's decision. We see this as an important contribution to the international effort to intensify pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear program."
British Foreign Office spokesman said, “We are prepared to lead the way to a third resolution of sanctions, and at the same time support tougher European Union sanctions."
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