The Senate, backed by AIPAC and over Obama administration objections, unanimously approved tightened Iran sanctions.
“In an effort to circumvent international sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran, some purchasers of Iranian oil and natural gas have been using gold and other precious metals to pay for petroleum products,” AIPAC said in a letter Nov. 30 to senators considering the legislation, first proposed by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Joe Lieber-man (I-Conn.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).
“Iran in turn has used these precious metals to circumvent financial sanctions, using them to barter for goods,” the letter said. “The Menendez-Kirk-Lieberman amendment would close this loophole, without impacting humanitarian trade.”
The Obama administration made a last-minute effort to kill the amendment. Administration officials reportedly said the new sanctions would scare off efforts to enlist nations to cooperate with existing sanctions.
The legislation was attached as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. — jta