US policy toward Iran: a lot of bark but not enough bite

In yet another effort to get Iran to cease their nuclear program, the United States Congress is seeking to close loopholes in current sanctions against the country. Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Howard Berman (D-CA) introduced new sanctions legislation this week, taking aim at the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is increasing their relevance in all sectors of Iran’s economy. Peter Crail, a non-proliferation analyst with the Arms Control Association based in Washington, D.C.:

“One of the key things that the sanctions are intended to do is try and redouble the U.S. efforts to sanction companies that do business with Iran, essentially foreign companies, non-Iranian companies that do business with Iran. The U.S. has had many comprehensive sanctions in place for Iran for decades. What Congress has tried to do is to give countries a choice between essentially doing business with the United States or doing business with Iran.”

By giving countries a choice, the U.S. hopes pressure from international companies will send a clear message to Iran – cease and dismantle its current nuclear program. The quest for tougher sanctions comes after the UN reported Iran is finding ways to circumvent current sanctions. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida, who introduced the bill, said in a statement: “U.S. policy toward Iran has offered a lot of bark but not enough bite.”

In an effort to put the pressure on Iran, there are measures in the bill that also targets the increasing human rights abusers in Iran by, among others things, freezing their assets in the U.S., denying visas and prohibiting financial or business transactions with any U.S. entity. However, Crail warns the new sanctions may end up hurting the U.S. by alienating some of its allies:

“There is a risk here to that strategy because it means that the United States will, in effect, be going after some of its allies, companies owned by some of its diplomatic partners, and the United States would like those diplomatic partners to continue putting pressure on Iran, including actions to particularly target Iran’s nuclear missile programs, so there is a risk that you’ll start to get resistance from U.S. diplomatic partners not to take other actions that we want to take, because we’re sanctioning their other companies.”

The Obama administration says current sanctions have been effective in curtailing some companies from doing business with Iran. However, Representative Ros-Lehtinen has been vocal in her criticism of the Obama administration, saying the President needs to be tougher in his dealings with Iran’s nuclear missile program.

Non-proliferation analyst, Peter Crail says sanctions alone are not enough:

“The sanctions can play a role, but it has to be joined with a diplomatic effort as well to convince Iran that if they keep heading in this direction, there will be consequences, but if they turn in a new direction, then there can be benefits.”

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/05/18/50458699.html