Senator McConnell: Senate to Vote on Iran Sanctions Extension Bill This Week

Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader in the U.S. Senate, stated on Tuesday that the bill to extend the 'Iran Sanctions Act' for 10 years will be voted on in the Senate this week. According to Reuters, McConnell announced this at the start of the Senate's session after the holiday break. The Senate majority leader also mentioned, 'This week, senators will have the opportunity to vote on the Iran sanctions extension bill, which was passed unanimously in the House of Representatives.' According to The Hill newspaper, Senator McConnell added that given Iran's aggressive behavior and its ongoing efforts to expand its influence in the Middle East, maintaining sanctions on Iran is vital. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives renewed the 'Iran Sanctions Act,' which was originally passed in 1996 to penalize investors in Iran's energy sector, with a vote of 419 in favor to 1 against. The 'Iran Sanctions Act,' which expires on December 31, imposes sanctions in the areas of trade, energy, defense, and banking related to Iran's nuclear program as well as its ballistic missile tests. This comes as the U.S., along with five other world powers, signed the nuclear agreement with Iran (JCPOA) last year, under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the international community lifting nuclear sanctions against Tehran. If the U.S. Senate also approves the extension of the 'Iran Sanctions Act,' the bill will be sent to the White House for the President's signature. While Senator McConnell has announced the vote on the extension of the 'Iran Sanctions Act,' last week, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, warned that Tehran would respond to the extension of sanctions. Khamenei stated, 'If this extension [of the Iran Sanctions Act] is implemented and operationalized, it will certainly be a violation of the JCPOA, and they should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely respond to it.' Nevertheless, Senator McConnell also mentioned on Tuesday that he expects the Trump administration and Congress to jointly review the overall U.S. policy towards Iran next year. Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, had referred to the nuclear agreement with Iran as one of the 'worst' deals during his campaign. In this context, Salehi stated that in the event of a JCPOA violation, Iran could reach significant enrichment within a year and a half. The Iranian leader called 'haste and neglect of details' the cause of 'problems' in the nuclear agreement. Takht-Ravanchi warned that if the U.S. moves towards violating the JCPOA, they will not sit idly by. Several Friday prayer leaders warned about the potential implementation of the 'D'Amato Law' extension. The changing battlefield of 'proxy wars'; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalization of Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. Trump: I hope there will be no need for further action regarding Iran; they were killing people recklessly. The shadow of war over Tehran; 'Trump is looking for decisive military options against Iran.' The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. Trump emphasized 'stopping executions in Iran': we do not know what will happen in the future. Trump said if the Islamic Republic attempts to assassinate him, 'it will be wiped off the face of the earth.'