Iran Parliament ‘Overwhelmingly’ Approves Anti-US Bill

About 240 Iranian lawmakers on Sunday overwhelmingly voted to approve a bill aimed at countering America’s “adventurous and terrorist’’ activities in the region.

It is understood that while a total of 247 lawmakers were present at the parliament session, the bill secured 240 yes votes and one abstention.

The legislation is in reaction to a bill ratified recently in the US Senate allowing Washington to impose non-nuclear sanctions against the Islamic Republic, IRNA reported.

The bill was submitted to the Majlis Presiding Board, by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Intelligence, as well as the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), the IRGC Quds Force, and the Islamic Republic Army.

The bill envisages a comprehensive response to US acts “endangering Iran’s vital security interests in the region” and other antagonistic moves targeting Iran’s economic interests.

The bill also confronts “adventurist and terrorist” US activities in the region, urging punishments for US violators of human rights across the globe.

It was passed in the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission on Wednesday and was sent to Majlis Presiding Board to be put to a vote in the parliament.

The draft law gives the Foreign Ministry three month to prepare a black list of American officials and citizens who played a role in spreading terrorism in the region and assisted the breach of human rights.

Those included in the black list are subject to assets forfeiture and banned from traveling to Iran.

The proposal targets those involved in financing, training and equipping terrorist elements operating in the region, including members of the self-styled Islamic State and Al-Qaeda affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups, and those who support the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization and Israeli state-sponsorship of terrorism.

The measure also targets Americans assisting the violation of rights of Muslims and black people, those who support acts of repressive governments in the Middle East and those behind US atrocities during its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The draft bill allocates 10,000 billion rials ($262 million) to the General Staff of the Armed Forces for developing Iran’s missile work and the same amount is to be equally divided among foreign, intelligence and defense ministries for carrying out tasks delegated by the bill, including a probe into US actions in the region.

Another 10,000 billion rials have been earmarked for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps’ Qods force, which is responsible for overseas operations, to increase its anti-terror operations in the region.

The measure also assigns Foreign Ministry and several other state bodies with the task of preparing a comprehensive plan to counter US threats against Iran within six months.

Government representative Abbas Araqchi was also present in the Majlis session. He described the legislation as wise and said that government of President Rouhani will support it.

‘The bill has very wisely tried not to violate the JCPOA and also give no chance to the other party to manipulate it,’ Araqchi said.

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