Senate Bills Could Lead to New Iran Sanctions, Export Controls
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., introduced two bills last week that could impose new sanctions and export controls against Iran. The Deterring Iranian Support for Russia in Ukraine and Pre-empting Terrorism Act (Disrupt Act) would require sanctions on Iranian entities that provide military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and would prevent the president from lifting sanctions on those entities unless Iran “ends its support” of Russia. The Sanctioning Transfers and Outbound Products to Iran Act (Stop Iran Act) would require the Commerce Department to increase export restrictions on Iranian entities that support terrorist activities and would better prevent U.S.-made products and components, including semiconductors, from being used to support Iranian terrorism, Lankford said.
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The Disrupt Act would specifically require the president to sanction any Iranian person selling defense items, including drones, to the Russian government, or providing training to Russia’s armed forces. Sanctions would also be required against any Iranian financial institution that “facilitates transactions with or on behalf of a Russian person” subject to U.S. sanctions or that has ties to the country’s defense industry.
The Stop Iran Act would require Commerce to impose license requirements on exports of emerging and foundational technologies to any Iranian person subject to U.S. sanctions, including those imposed by the Treasury Department. The bill would also require Commerce to impose license requirements for tech exports to people that provide support to a range of Iran-related entities, including the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, military, nuclear agencies and any entity, including the Houthis, “engaged in hostilities” with a U.S. ally. Commerce would also be required to submit a report to Congress summarizing any licenses it issued to those people, including the “rationale” behind the license.
“Iran poses a direct threat to the United States and our allies,” Lankford said. “The Biden Administration must act to disrupt Iran’s partnership with Russia and stop the use of American-made products in Iranian drones.”