TEHRAN, Iran, Oct. 26, 2007
New U.S. Sanctions Draw Iranian Ire
Regime, Citizens Angry At U.S., But Ahmadinejad Also Facing Fresh Criticism
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An Iranian shopkeeper talks with a potential customer at the Tehran's main Bazaar, Iran, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007. Despite the government's insistence that U.S. and U.N. sanctions aren't causing any pain, some leading Iranian figures have begun to say publicly that the Western pressure does hurt. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announcing stronger sanctions against Iran, Oct. 25, 2007. (CBS)
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Eye To Eye: Sanctions On Iran
"Only on the Web": Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, speaks with Katie Couric about the international implications of the U.S.'s latest sanctions on Iran.
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Tighter U.S. Sanctions On Iran
The U.S. has cut financial ties to Iran's banks and businesses run by the military to force the country to abandon its nuclear program, but skeptics say the sanctions won't work. Jim Axelrod reports.
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Iran Sanctions Analysis
The Bush administration is punctuating a round of tough rhetoric against Iran with new economic sanctions. But what does it all mean? Richard Haas explains.
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The U.S. And Iran
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The sanctions have heightened resentment of the United States among some in the public. But they are also fueling criticism among Iranian politicians that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is mismanaging the crisis with hard-line stances that worsen the standoff with the West.
Washington announced new sanctions Thursday, targeting Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, which the U.S. accuses of supporting terrorism by backing Shiite militants in Iraq. The sanctions ban U.S. dealings with the extensive network of businesses believed linked to the Guards - and put stepped-up pressure on international banks to cut any ties with those firms.
The reaction from Ahmadinejad's government was familiar. CBS News reporter Larry Miller says the regime called the measures illegal under international law, and said they were "doomed to failure".
The chief of the Revolutionary Guards shrugged off the sanctions, saying "the corps is ready to defend the ideals of the revolution more than ever before."
"They have applied all their efforts to reduce the efficiency of this revolutionary body," General Mohammad Ali Jafari said Thursday, according to the state news agency IRNA.
The sanctions come at a time when Iran's economy is struggling, with dramatic price rises this year. The costs of housing and basic foodstuffs like vegetables have doubled or even quadrupled. The government also has imposed unpopular fuel rationing in an attempt to reduce expensive subsidies for imported gasoline.
Word of the U.S. move angered people in Tehran.
"The sanctions will damage us, our children and our people and not the government. Prices of everything increased up to double after former sanctions by the U.N.," said Morteza Morovvati, a 45-year-old teacher. "Who in the world and the Iranian government is going to care about ordinary people?"
Hashem Nazari, a retired clerk for an electricity equipment company, said that even before the new U.S. sanctions on some Iranian banks, his son living in Germany could not send him money through the banks.
"For the past two months, he has sent me money through private money exchangers," Nazari said.
Still, much of the anger appeared focused at the West.
"This will be another step by (President) Bush toward igniting war in the region," Mansour Rasti, 28, a graduate student in political science, said of the new sanctions.
Marzieh Aghai, a 37-year-old government bureaucrat, said she would support her country no matter what. "They (the Americans) don't know the Guards. We are proud of them."
Ahmadinejad and his allies are likely counting on sanctions to rally Iranians against the United States.
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"Hard-liners in Tehran were looking forward for the sanctions. It helps them hide their incompetence behind the embargo," said political commentator, Saeed Laylaz.Hard-liners in Tehran were looking forward for the sanctions. It helps them hide their incompetence behind the embargo.
Political commentator, Saeed LaylazCBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante said there is no guarantee the new sanctions will have the effect desired by President Bush.
In a report Friday for CBS News' Early Show, Plante pointed to previous U.S. attempts to change another nation's policy or leadership through sanctions; 45 years of measures against Cuba, 10 years against Myanmar, and a battery of policy against Saddam Hussein - all of which failed in their objective, and sometimes caused civilian populations huge grief without altering the behavior of leaders.
"The new U.S. sanctions against Iran are just the latest in a string which goes back to the 1980s, all of which the Iranians seem to have shrugged off," said Plante.
Richard Haas, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, told CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric (Video) that unilateral sanctions rarely bare much fruit. "History suggests it will not change Iranian behavior."
But, the new sanctions could worsen Ahmadinejad's political woes. Many conservatives who once backed him have joined reformers in criticizing Ahmadinejad. They point to his failure to fulfill promises to repair the economy - despite increased oil revenues - and say his fiery rhetoric goads the West into punishing Iran.
Stuart Levy, the Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury, defended the new, "targeted, narrow, conduct-based sanctions we're currently imposing".
Levy told CBS News the measures were "much, much more powerful, much more effective," than previous unilateral sanctions used by the U.S. government.
Ahmadinejad's sudden replacement of Iran's top nuclear negotiator with a close loyalist over the weekend also angered many conservatives in parliament.
Worry over sanctions has been increasingly expressed by figures high up in Iran's clerical leadership. Earlier this month, Hasan Rowhani, who sits on two powerful cleric-run bodies, the Experts Assembly and the Expediency Council, said that "the economic impact is felt in the life of the people." He said Ahmadinejad has just been making more enemies for Iran.
On Sunday, Ahmadinejad's predecessor as president, Mohammad Khatami, a reformer who remains influential, complained that Ahmadinejad claims "problems have been resolved but we see that problems remain unresolved."
The Bush administration hopes its new sanctions will push companies around the world to cut their business ties with Iran. "It is increasingly likely that if you are doing business with Iran you are doing business with the IRGC," Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said, referring to the Guards.
Miller reports that Nicholas Burns, the third-ranking official at the State Department, admonished Russia to stop selling weapons to Iran and China to stop investing capital in the Islamic Republic. Burns spoke in an interview with a British radio station.
Meanwhile, the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards dismissed the possibility of a U.S. military action against Iran and warned that his forces would respond with an "even more decisive" strike if attacked, an Iranian news agency reported Friday.
Asked about the possibility of an American strike on Iran, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jaafari told reporters late Thursday, "These words are just exaggerations, and I don't consider them a threat," the news agency ISNA reported.
"The Islamic Republic has the strength and power of its people's faith. This power is joined with experience, knowledge and technology in the realms of defense. The enemy knows it cannot make any mistake, so these words are just exaggeration," he said.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 373 CommentsFirst, saber rattle with quasi-intelligence regarding support for terrorists and/or insurgents.
Second, top off the strategic petroleum reserve.
Third, preposition troops.
Fourth, get the proper ordinance like MOPs in the pipeline.
Fifth, make the proper speeches hither and yon about the threat of WMDs.
Sixth, impose sanctions.
And lucky number seven is...
Hang in there. Posted by singinrick at 08:26 AM : Oct 26, 2007
Yes, while you and Mudrose tear your own country apart with your on-going hate campaign and your vague empty retoric.
Neither of you even know what you are shooting your petty and pitiable hate at.
You just shoot and hope you hurt someone. Sad, both of you, and pathetic.
Flip over to cbsnews home page and catch the link about the USS Cole Mastermind bomber that escaped from prison in Yemen and then turned himself in 15 days ago.
This Al-Qaeda idiot turned himself in, then renounced terrorism and pledged allegiance to the Yemeni Govt.
HAHAHA. Man, it just blows my mind how these third world idiots operate. And, the Yememi govt says, "Oh, Ok...everything''s cool now"...
Yeah, perhaps Hillary Clinton and talk to Ahmedini-Jihad and just make him go away. HAHAHAHA
Let some fool over there start WWIII and start launching nukes over there...that''s the easiest way to genocide the middle east so you can have their oil.
"Most notably, the new sanctions ban dealings with two major Iranian banks, Bank Melli and Bank Mellat, adding them to a list of already banned banks. That means the banks will have difficulty turning to European banks for dollars."
Of course, they knew this was coming. It was disgusting to see main stream media the other day not pointing out why the dollar was going to sink. All they said is they believed the value of the dollar was over valued and they expected it to drop.
"no one in the US government would mourn if the dollar fell to $1.50 euros, and $2.15 to the pound sterling"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/23/opinion/main3398180.shtml
THERE IS NOTHING THERE WORTH ONE DROP OF AMERICAN BLOOD!
Because they are deliberately trying to provoke Iran into war!! Stupid as that sounds, espcially now with Turkey bombing and invading northern Iraq, that is what Cheney wants. He thinks if he can cause another war with Iran, he can nuke the middle east and then take it over and keep control of the oil.
It has always been about oil. I read an article yesterday where the Israel FM claimed that Iranian nuclear weapons were not much of a concern to them.
Here it is: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/916777.html
And this is from a jewish mag too.
But you are clueless to this."
George W. Bush is a bigger threat to your freedom than Iran or Ahmadinejad will ever be. Your just to far right to see it.
I wish I could understand where you come from.
Do you know what the non-proliferation treaty is?
Do you know that the treaty allows Iran to have nuclear power for peaceful purposes?
Could you do a bit of reading or research before bringing more war and more condemnation down from on high?
You don''t even discuss the issues, you just rant and rave about liberals, and freedoms, and other countries that you don''t even research first.
Help me understand how you can make pronouncements without reading, or cross-referencing, or listening. The rest of us have to use these tools to make a rational decision. You sound like you obtain your entire world view from Rush Limbaugh''s "entertainment" show.
Iran is open to inspections and there are occuring now. It seems to me that if Iran is sending troops and weapons, we should be capturing Iran soldiers and Iranian weapons. As far as I can see, there are no Iranian soldiers captured at all. As far as the weapons go, show me the proof!!
It is not enough to just claim a bomb is from Iran. So far I have not heard of any reason to believe they are. Periodically we keep hearing of "this bomb is Iranian" but no one ever explains WHY they think that. No one ever shows the proof of Iranian made.
All these accusations are just repeated over and over so that dim witted people think they must be true and do not realize that so far, THERE HAS BEEN NO EVIDENCE to back up these claims.
I do not believe ANYTHING out of Iraq without proof. There have been so many lies that everything said is suspect.
SHOW ME THE MONEY (OR PROOF!!!)
Weapons linked to Iran, Quds commanders captured operating in Iraq, IED''s directly linked to Iran, following the money trail from Iran to Iraq, etc....
You can choose not to believe it, but, since you watch MSNBC and CNN, no wonder why your clueless. They dont report anything that does not directly support their agenda....
You are asking too much of these dimwits. They don''t know any of the issues because they don''t read and therefore they cannot discuss facts.
To do so would knocked their arguments out. They KNOW the facts are against them and therefore they just bellow emotional rants with no reasoning. In fact once they start that, I know I have won because they immediately signal they have can''t debate anymore because they are pinned down and lost.
Yes, Iran has the right to nuclear energy under the non-poliferatin treaty, just like every other country. This is not about nukes, it is about control of the vast oil beds.
I think you have hit the nail on the head. Bush is provoking Ahmadinejad, so we will have an excuse to go after their oil too.
Is all this human life worth a few more years of gas in Humvees?
Americans (all of us) are resourceful, amazing people. If we need to adjust our lifestyles due to lack of oil, we can.
The people who are running scared is not mainstream Americans, it is the people whose wealth, position, and power depend on oil that are terrified, terrified that THEY THEMSELVES will have to adjust their lifestyles. Don''t you see it, not matter how rich somebody is, fear never goes away.
Bush and Cheney are scared there won''t be enough left for them to continue to live the privilaged secure lives they have had. It is them who can''t adjust, not the great American people.
It is them who are willing to make war and let people die, so that their precious privilaged lives can continue unaffected.
And people like singingrick, who has nothing, applaud them.
And your Fox News of course, since it feeds you only what you want to hear, is the better news outlet?
You are a fool. I read the London Times, Jewish news, Arabic newspapers in addition to NY Times, Washington Post and all the other major rags.
NOT ONE OF THE FOREIGN PAPERS agrees that Iran is a key reason Iraq is unstable by sending troops and bombs.
Did you read the link I sent about the Israeli Foreign Minister saying Iranian nukes were not even a concern to Israeil.
Read this
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/916777.html
and talk to me. Otherwise, don''t bother.
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9722&size=A
Also, pay particular attention to this quote from this article
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/420416
"Special Groups" is a U.S. term for what it says are secret Shiite cells which wage acts of "terrorism" in Iraq with the financial and military backing of Iran''s elite Revolutionary Guards units.
"Intelligence indicates he is a well-known cell leader and has previously sought funding from Iran to carry out high profile kidnappings," the statement said.
This folks is the true threat to our democracy LIES, it is no small thing that the Vice President and Presidential adviser Scoter Libby was convicted of multiple felonies while in the White House, riding daily to work with the VP, convicted of 5 counts of lying and obstruction of the investigation into a criminal act suspected to have been committed by someone in the White House, that act would be treason against our Country. The underlying crime was a viscous false smear and attack on the family of a former Ambassador Joe Wilson to cover up the LIE of WMD in Iraq. Iran is the same also not a threat to our safety our oil needs and pocketbook maybe just as Iraq was not and tens of thousands have now died in that war and our treasury and future prosperity hocked to GOP donors like Prince silver spoon GOP buddy owner of Backwater now no surprise suspected of major tax fraud, Halliburton etc. etc etc. President Bush is number ONE biggest United States Presidential Spender, no not on a social program for god%u2019s sake no that would leave less tax revenue for the GOP Entitlement Welfare Donor Giveaway with these wars as coverup.
We have 12 more months of this insanity before we can blow the stink off, but much damage has been done, much wrong has been done in our name no more.
Call your representative express your will, be heard (202) 224-3121 for the Senate, and (202) 225-3121 for the House
So Bush is now President Bush of The World!!!
You want shock and amazement, look at the value of the dollar since Bush took office.
I''d say that pretty much gives him the right to do what he''s doing.
Once you lost your credibility, King George, you became the President that Cryed Wolf.
poopusbuttus, that you deem this to be true makes it all the more false. We do not rule the world, we are one country in it.
Here, read up on the atomic rights of those who aren''t the United States: http://www.iaea.org/
You can read for yourself, can''t you? Or do you simply lay with your head on your radio and let News Talk Radio fill you with all its enlightenment?
poopusbuttus, Bush is after Iran''s oil nothing more nor nothing less. Where does a 500 pound gorilla sleep? In the White House.
Your a fool to think that any country has the right to nukes.
An enemy like Iran who enables terrorists with explosives, funding, and safe harbor is not a responsible citizen of the world and surely should not have a nuke.
All other countries who presently have nukes have not pledged to wipe neighbors off the map.
The fact you are purposely ignoring these facts is due to stupidity or blind indifference do to politics or ideology. People like you enable death and destruction because of your refusal to recognize the difference between deterance and outright threats, it''s that simple.
There is an international agency who deals with nations building and using nuclear power facilities and who is empowered to ensure that it is used for peaceful purposes. It is called the International Atomic Power Agency. Let them do their job and keep US political fingers out of their authority.
Saber-rattling becomes action when a country''s government is squeezed. Lets squeeze Iran REALLY HARD and see where it bursts open.
Then the leaders of the US can all stand back and go "SEE, Told ya so!"
There is such a thing as purposefully generating trouble, usually called bullying in kindergarden playgrounds. In adult playgrounds, it''s called sanctions apparently.
I again, refer back to the USS Cole Mastermind that was caught, escaped, and now turned himself in to renounce terrorism and join the Yemeni Govt movement. Yeah, that''s real intelligent of that govt, isnt it?
Is that the stable world you would like to live in? Because if it is, then your supporting my point that you two brain dead washouts know nothing about global security, nor, do you even care.
I didn''t see one fact in your post. I see opinion, to which you are entitled. But no facts.
You and poopusbuttus state things as if your word carried some authority with people who actually read, and research. You might learn something if you listened to a wider scope of talking heads that just those few you personally agree with.
Any time you actually want to post some facts, not Bushisms, but actual corroborated facts, you will garner the attention of serious debaters.
But perhaps you don''t want that, it does require some actual thought, Mr. So Simple.
"protect our national interests from idiots like Ahmadinijad from wiping Israel off the face of the earth"
Do you really believe Isreal cannot protect itself from Iran?
Isreal has it''s own nukes already.
Don''t you think Iran knows that and also knows they would use them against Iran?
This poor excuse is nothing more than propaganda to distract you from the Iraq loss. Take Iraq off the table and Republicans have a better chance to win the election in 2008.
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