US Congressmen press Iran sanctions bill

Washington, Mar 9: Key United States (US) Congressmen said they would push forward with legislation imposing mandatory sanctions on foreign firms working in Iran, despite administration concerns the bill could split the international coalition against Iran's nuclear programs.

As the United States and its allies prepared to take Iran's case to the UN Security Council, which could eventually consider penalties on Tehran, some lawmakers complained that Washington needs to be more aggressive in confronting the 'threat' posed by Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns yesterdat told the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee the Security Council would begin debate on Iran next Monday and Tuesday and gradually escalate pressure if Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment activities.

But Rep. Thomas Lantos of California, the panel's senior Democrat, insisted ''Iran's quest for nuclear arms requires us to do two things: squeeze Iran's economy as much as possible and do so without delay.'' He said the committee next week would consider a bill signed by more than 300 lawmakers requiring US sanctions on any company or nation investing more than 20 million dollars in Iran's energy sector.

It would also require US-based pension funds to disclose Iran-related investments. Washington already has long-standing sanctions prohibiting American companies or individuals from doing business with the Islamic republic.

Meanwhile, the White House rejected as provocative Iran's warning that the United States could feel ''harm and pain'' if the Security Council took up the issue of Tehran's nuclear research.

''Provocative statements and actions only further isolate Iran from the rest of the world,'' spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters traveling with President George W. Bush in New Orleans.

Seeking toavoid diplomatic row, Burns said the administration could support legislation imposing sanctions on foreign firms, which would replace the expiring Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, but it should be modified to give Bush greater flexibility.

After a year of intensive diplomacy, the five major nuclear powers, the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China, are united in agreeing ''Iran is seeking nuclear weapons'' but the proposed law could blow the coalition apart, he warned.

In recent years, foreign firms have signed more than 0 billion in energy-related deals with Iran but U.S. presidents sidestepped imposing sanctions to avoid a diplomatic or trade row, especially with European allies, lawmakers said.

Burns said the Security Council would start with a statement demanding Iran halt uranium enrichment and cooperate with the international community. If that fails, ''it's going to be incumbent upon our allies around the world, and interested countries, to show that they are willing to act,'' said Burns.

He stressed that eventual targeted sanctions would punish Iranian leaders but not the general population.

Asked if supporters intended to have the committee just discuss the bill next week or to press for a vote, a spokesman for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, a leading committee Republican and the bill's co-sponsor, declined to comment.

Committee Chairman Henry Hyde of Illinois seemed disinclined to back the bill, saying that while the administration's approach to Iran initially lacked focus, in the past year it has ''found its footing.'' ''We got Iran to the Security Council, not by bullying or sanctioning the IAEA's members, but by persistent and skillful diplomacy. We will move forward the same way,'' Hyde said.

Undersecretary of State Robert Joseph, who handles non-proliferation issues, said U.S. intelligence believes Iran is five to 10 years away from nuclear capability but could be only months away from the capacity to enrich weapons-related nuclear fuel, a key milestone.

REUTERS

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