Earlier this week, the Obama Administration received praises from the AJC for announcing new sanctions against Iran.
AJC Executive Director, David Harris, said “U.S. action is an essential reminder that the Iranian regime’s gross and systematic violation of human rights is being closely monitored and will not go unanswered.”
It’s been two years since Iranian’s took to their streets and the struggle for civil liberties and fundamental civil rights persists.
The sanctions were announced earlier this week by the State and Treasury departments against three official security bodies: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Basij Resistance Force, and Iran’s national police, as well as against the chief of police, Ismail Ahmadi Moghadam.
The three security agencies were added to the list of organizations and individuals sanctioned by the U.S. for their central roles in perpetrating human rights abuses against Iranian citizens.
The sanctions prohibit Americans from engaging in any transactions with those agencies, freezes assets in the U.S., and blocks American visas for anyone in the three organizations.
“[This] welcome action is especially significant, coming on the second anniversary of the fraudulent 2009 national Iranian elections,” said Harris.
“America’s latest sanctions against the despotic Iranian regime are another clear signal of our determination to match policies with principles,” Harris said. “We hope that like-minded nations around the world will soon enact similar sanctions as those announced today by the U.S.”
In March, 2009, the AJC also testified to Congress in support of the Iranian Sanctions Enabling Act.
In its testimony, AJC told Congress: “If our Administration pursues engagement with Iran, simultaneously intensifying sanctions is critical. Only tough sanctions would prevent Iran’s rulers from seeing our overtures as a sign of weakness and motivate them to be forthcoming in negotiations. Firm goalposts and deadlines also are crucial to prevent Iran’s regime from hiding behind negotiations as it completes its quest for nuclear arms.”
Harris’ blog on Huffington post: “Iran: Truth Hurts”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-harris/iran-the-truth-hurts_b_398688.html
