U.S. Imposing New Sanctions Against Iran

State, Treasury Depts. Announce Toughest Steps Since 1979 Hostage Crisis

(CBS/AP)  The United States announced Thursday that it is imposing sweeping new sanctions against Iran's defense ministry, its Revolutionary Guard Corps and a number of banks to punish them for purported support of terrorist organizations in Iraq and the Middle East, missile sales and nuclear activities.

The measures, announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, will cover some of the Iranian government's largest military and financial institutions, which Washington blames for supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan and Shia insurgent groups in Iraq, along with the Hamas and Hezbollah organizations, they said.

Also designated were several Iranian individuals and organizations. Secretary Rice said that any assets that these designees have under U.S. jurisdiction would be immediately frozen.

"They will provide a powerful deterrent to any international bank or company who thinks of doing business with the Iranian government," she said of the sanctions.

She also spoke directly to the Iranian people, saying the United States government had no conflict with them, and looked forward to aiding their ability to pursue "the peaceful use of nuclear power."

The announcement culminated a months-long series of harsh statements from both sides amid public recriminations both within the administration and the Congress over Tehran's strategic intentions. Rice on Thursday, for instance, repeated the administration's concern over statements indicating a desire in Tehran to "wipe Israel off the map."

CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric asked the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haass, about the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions against Iran, which have existed in various forms since 1979.

"Iran's economy is paying something of a price for these sanctions," Haass told Couric,"but it's not enough to just have sticks. You've also got to have some carrots, some incentives. So what's missing from this policy is not only international support for the sanctions, but what's missing from this policy is any sign of an incentive for Iran."

"I think this is the last effort that's going to be made diplomatically to bring Iran into the community of nations, if you will," terrorism expert Neil Livingstone, CEO of Executive Action, told CBS News correspondent Cami McCormick. However, for the sanctions to be truly effective, "we need other nations to also sign on and try the same thing."

As the Americans tightened their sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said stronger international sanctions would make the Iranian situation more difficult to handle.

Speaking in Lisbon, Portugal, Putin said, "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."

Rice, who also noted Iran's hardline anti-Israel stance, said the moves were part of "a comprehensive policy to confront the threatening behavior of the Iranians" but that Washington remains committed to "a diplomatic solution."

Iran has ignored previous, smaller attempts to apply international and financial sanctions, and says the conditions Washington has set for talks are unacceptable. Iran is continuing work on its nuclear program, which it says is peaceful.

Instead, officials said they hope the measures will increase pressure on Iran to take a deal offered last year that would give the oil-rich country economic and other incentives in exchange for dropping nuclear activities that could produce a bomb.

"There aren’t a lot of other tools in the administration's tool box," Livingstone told McCormick, "other than going to some type of military action."

In Tehran, the Guards' chief, General Mohammad Ali Jafari, shrugged off increased U.S. pressure on the force.

"Today, enemy has concentrated sharp point of its attacks on the Guards," Jafari told a military ceremony in Mashhad, east of Tehran, according to the state news agency IRNA. "They have applied all their efforts to reduce the efficiency of this revolutionary body. Now as always, the corps is ready to defend the ideals of the revolution more than ever before."

Israel, on the other hand, said it was pleased with the sanctions.

"Israel welcomes the U.S. government's decision," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said in Jerusalem. "We see this as an important contribution to the international effort to intensify pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear program."

Paulson said it is nearly impossible for overseas businesses or banks to "know one's customer" in Iran and avoid unwittingly funding terrorism or other illicit activities.

State-owned banks Bank Melli, Bank Mellat and Bank Saderat were named supporters of global terrorist groups for their activities in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East. Along with Bank Sepah, which was already under U.S. and U.N. sanctions, the institutions account for more than 50 percent of Iran's banking sector, Treasury officials said.

"As awareness of Iran's deceptive behavior has grown, many banks around the world have decided as a matter of prudence and integrity that Iran's business is simply not worth the risk," Paulson said. "It is plain and simple: Reputable institutions do not want to be the bankers for this dangerous regime."

The sanctions also cover companies affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which were designated proliferators of ballistic missile technology. The Corps is the largest component of Iran's military. The defense ministry entity is the parent organization for Iran's aerospace and ballistic missile operations.

The Quds Force, a part of the Guard Corps that Washington accuses of providing weapons, including powerful bombs blamed for the deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq, was named a supporter of designated terrorist organizations.

The Revolutionary Guards organization, formed to safeguard Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, has pushed well beyond its military roots, and now owns car factories and construction firms and operates newspaper groups and oil fields.

The sanctions also name several individuals: General Hosein Salimi, Commander of the Air Force, IRGC; Brigadier General Morteza Rezaie, Deputy Commander of the IRGC; Vice Admiral Ali Akhbar Ahmadian, Chief of the IRGC Joint Staff; Brigadier Gen. Mohammad Hejazi, Commander of Bassij resistance force; Brigadier General Qasem Soleimani, Commander of the Qods Force; Ahmad Vahid Dastjerdi, Head of the Aerospace Industry Organization (AIO); Reza-Gholi Esmaeli, Head of Trade & International Affairs Dept., AIO; and Bahmanyar Morteza Bahmanyar, Head of Finance & Budget Department, AIO.

The actions mean that any assets found in the United States belonging to the designated groups or individuals must be frozen. Americans are also forbidden from doing business with them.

Importantly, the designations also put companies outside the United States on notice that doing business with the designated groups could be a problem.

[grazinggoat]

Oh and for the record blind grazingoat and formrusmcsgt, I''''ll continue to condemn islamic jihadists murderers just like I would condemn any other murderer of innocent life.

You guys are a joke. You get all offended by someone condemning the killing of innocent life by these maniac jihadists.

You are sick individuals.
Posted by singinrick at 05:33 PM : Oct 26, 2007

-SickRick, you are pretending to condemn the killing of innocents. I do not pretend. I condemn any innocent killing. What you are doing is simply condoning the killings and the invasion of Iraq by Walking-Liar''s administration backers'' orders. You are condoning the killing of Iraqi innocents and our soldiers'' blood letting on the sand of Iraq, because of a G-Walking-LiarBush''s lie that continues to be told to the gullible America. That day will come when G-Walking-LiarBush and his administration will be brought to justice because of his lies. That day will come sooner than later. I''m hoping!

[dmhphils]

Ahmagonajihad has one, and only one agenda......he will exploit the ignorance of his own people for his own benefit and exalt Islam at the same time until Islam will cover the globe. Every sacrifice is worthy for the cause, even his own people. Ahmagonajihad is coming to your city soon.

[grazinggoat]

Did I offend your pals? Can''''t stand the Truth can you. Did I strike a nerve by stating the obvious? Does this insult islam? Are you offended about the Truth?

You fool noone woman. Noone. Your Muslim fundamentalist beliefs are shining, otherwise you wouldn''''t be so "offended" by the 70 virgins comment.

You don''''t fool a soul.
Posted by singinrick at 06:31 AM : Oct 26, 2007

- I was trying to point at the ridiculous beliefs and fairytales that you guys believe in. Jihadists and Right-wing Chrisitan nuts such as you are out of reasonable reality. You swallow the sh*t that is told to you in books written in the Past and based on no verifiable, true, measurable facts. Your belief is no better than theirs. I laugh at both you and tell you, and them. YOU BOTH ARE STUPID and deserve what is going on between the two extremes; radical Islam and Radical Christians such as you. All my interventions on this site refer to rules of Internation laws and their application as per the United Nations charter of rights and agreement in time of wars.... Hope you understand what I just wrote, but I''m skeptical... your brain is so washed that no other consideration can be accepted by you. Full of hatred toward all who don''t believe like ya!

[rerrorislam3]

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 06:08 AM : Oct 26, 2007

china does not have a chance in hell of ever ruling the usa,,, they will be ashes before that happens,,,

the only reason they have the economy they have is because the usa opened them up to capitalism and trades with them,,,

btw,,, their currency is pegged to the dollar,,, so their currency slide with the dollar,,,

nobody wants to play russian roolette with chinese products anyway,,,

Florida City Seeks to Ban Chinese Products
http://www.chinalyst.net/node/24469

[formrusmcsgt]

It hurts your feelings that I condemn evil acts.

How dispicable.

Posted by singinrick at 08:24 AM : Oct 26, 2007

Don''t flatter yourself. I could give a rat''s a$$ what you condemn or not. You still believe in fairy tales.

[ioweign]

By Glenn Kessler and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, August 30, 2004; Page A01

A John F. Kerry administration would propose to Iran that the Islamic state be allowed to keep its nuclear power plants in exchange for giving up the right to retain the nuclear fuel that could be used for bomb-making, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards said in an interview yesterday.

Edwards said that if Iran failed to take what he called a "great bargain," it would essentially confirm that it is building nuclear weapons under the cover of a supposedly peaceful nuclear power initiative. He said that, if elected, Kerry would ensure that European allies were prepared to join the United States in levying heavy sanctions if Iran rejected the proposal. "If we are engaging with Iranians in an effort to reach this great bargain and if in fact this is a bluff that they are trying to develop nuclear weapons capability, then we know that our European friends will stand with us," Edwards said.

Posted by AJMarine1 at 10:20 PM : Oct 25, 2007



Are you saying that Rice is clueless and should use this approach ??

[formrusmcsgt]

How brainwashed and lost they are..
Posted by singinrick at 04:12 PM : Oct 25, 2007

Absolutely hilarious! One who is programmed with dogma condemning someone else for being programmed with dogma.

[searingtruth]

"And then there was the President Who Cried Wolf, five hundred times."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[brianbwb-2009]

so which is it???
the all powerful bush is stealing oil or he is driving oil prices up???
good thing bush almighty is on usa"s side,,, LOL
hahaha
Posted by rerrorislam3

Other than the "all powerful" mistake, it is both, donnie. What is the use of driving up the price of something if you don''t control it?

Now that Turkey is proving Bush to be the punk that most of us already knew, you will see that all his reasons for invading were BS, and not even the rabid bushbot donnie can explain the BS away.

[aldee41]

Big Georgie: "Son, you should not have started a two front war."
''Lil Georgie: "Look daddy, if I invade Iran it''s only a one front war!"
The next President will be a Democrat.
Chose wisely. Chose Richardson.