White House Presses Congress to Weaken Iran Sanctions

James Phillips / June 11, 2010

After securing a mild sanctions resolution at the U.N. Security Council against Iran earlier this week, the Obama Administration is now lobbying Congress to dilute pending Iran sanctions legislation. The administration wants the authority to waive penalties against companies that sell gasoline or other refined oil products to Iran if those companies are based in countries that have cooperated in imposing U.N. sanctions on Iran. This is viewed by many in Congress as another concession to Russia, China, and European countries that have resisted American efforts to impose much tougher sanctions on Iran.

The administration’s schizophrenic policy on Iran has long been apparent to Capitol Hill observers, but increasingly has frustrated even members of the President’s own party. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), who has been a leading advocate of stronger sanctions on Iran, complained that “The administration doesn’t carry out the laws that are on the books, and they want the new law to be as weak and loophole-ridden as possible.” (more…)