Tehran Responds to the Iran Freedom Support Act

On October 1, Iranian officials and state-run radio dismissed the US Iran Freedom Support Act that was passed by the Senate at about 1:30 am on September 30, 2006 and signed into law by President George W. Bush later that day. The law will impose sanctions on entities that help Iran develop its petroleum resources or provide goods or services for the country’s weapons program. The bill also provides funding for “democracy promotion.” Iranian officials contended the measure threatens US interests, not Iran.

The sanctions will cause the U.S. to become more isolated and “cannot weaken the will of a great nation (Iran), which has achieved its independence and progress by relying on its national and religious values,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.