Posted By:
Catherine Moy
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The United States today announced unilateral sanctions against Iran, which will hurt its economic prowess in exporting terrorism. The Bush Administration has designated the Iranian Quds Force as a terrorism supporter and the Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “proliferator of weapons of mass destruction,” according to the Washington Post

The package, announced jointly by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., marks the first time that the United States has tried to isolate or punish another country’s military

The move marks the most aggressive sanctions against Iran since Iranians took Americans hostage in 1979 and shows that the Bush Administration takes seriously Iran’s direct involvement in Iraq War.

Although Iran’s suspected weapons programs have been a longtime problem for the United States, the Quds Force’s operations in Iraq have become a bigger immediate challenge. “The Quds Force controls the policy for Iraq,” Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said earlier this month. “There should be no confusion about that.”

The Quds, which is Arabic for Israel, make millions of dollars through trade to fund its terrorist operations.  Freezing assets is a good way to slow their ability to kill American or Allied soldiers in Iraq.

The sanctions recognize that financing for groups like the Revolutionary Guard have become closely entwined with Iran’s economy, making it difficult to disrupt the one without targeting the other.

The Revolutionary Guard “is so deeply entrenched in Iran’s economy, that it is increasingly likely that if you are doing business with Iran you are doing business with the IRGC,” Paulson said.

The banks involved are Bank Melli, Bank Mellat and Bank Saderat. The first two are being designated for helping finance Iran’s proliferation program, and Saderat is being designated for financing terrorism. In addition, the administration named five Revolutionary Guard leaders who are included under the new restrictions, as well as nine businesses and the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.

Rice said the United States is “committed to a diplomatic solution” to the tension between Washington and Tehran, but also wants to “increase the costs to Iran” unless it cooperates with the international community on terrorism and proliferation.

The announced measures will help protect the international financial system, she said, and provide “a powerful deterrent” to those who do or are considering doing business with Iran.

The move caps a year of growing U.S. pressure on Tehran, including billions of dollars in arms sales to Persian Gulf allies and Israel, interception of Iranian arms shipments in Iraq and Afghanistan, detention of Iranian agents in Iraq, and pressure on the United Nations and European allies to increase Iran’s isolation. The dramatic U.S. steps underscore the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.

The sanctions are a good start to isolating the Iranian regime and its leaders who will also be designated as terrorists or supporters or terrorism. For too long the United States has allowed this outlaw regime to run roughshod over the West and Democratic nations.
Iran’s Mullahs have stepped up torture and state-sponsored murder inside the country, while allowing the Quds Force to wage war with America, Iraq and other allies inside Iraq. It is a good day for America when our leaders protect our security here and abroad.