29 Mar 2024
Saturday 8 July 2017 - 15:20
Story Code : 267488

Irans Parliament seeks retaliation against new US sanctions

Iranian Diplomacy- A double-emergency bill that seeks to retaliateUS Senates new sanctionsis hogging Irans parliamentary news scene. This is not the first timeMajlisweighs such measures. Retaliation against Washington-imposed sanctions has been on the agenda for the parliament in the recent years as lawmakers have advocated a bill versus bill approach. The approach was first adopted more than 10 years ago when the nuclear talks had become complicated, and facing hurdles in the international scene. However, if we are to find a turning point in the parliaments retaliatory approach, we should look back at mid-2000s for the starting gun.





While retaliatory efforts give the message that the government is not acting passively against Washingtons punitive measures, the question remains that how precise and executable are suchbills that are submitted to the open session of the parliament as urgent and are passed unanimously, but fail to deliver when it comes to implementation.





Representatives against representatives


Negotiations over Irans nuclear program moved to a new chapter after a substantial shift, i.e. opening of the door for direct talks between Iran and the United States of America. In parallel, sensitivities raised regarding the intensity of retaliatory measures time. Every decision in the Senate and Congress on Iran because the subject matter of new bills in Irans parliament. Majlis approach was justifiable indeed, knowing that retaliation is a principle of international relations, potentially capable of forcing an opponent to observe mutual respect.





So far, more than 10 retaliatory bills have been passed by the Iranian parliament, including:





Billto Achieve Peaceful Nuclear Technology(2004): in response to the International Atomic Energy Agencys decision demanding Iran to suspend its nuclear program for an unspecified period.





Bill to Counter US and UK Plots to Protect Irans Nuclear Accomplishments (July 2010):in response toResolution 1929, aimed to restrict Irans access to peaceful nuclear energy, despite theTehran Declaration.





Bill to Obligate the Administration to Pursue Compensation for Hostile US Measures (2016): following thefreezingof $2b of Irans assets by the decision of a US court, demanding compensation for all material and spiritual detriments including the 1953 coup d'tat against Mohammad Mosaddeq, theNojetcoup, the Iraqi-imposed war and the martyrdom of over 223 thousand Iranians, as well as over 600000 wounded in war and prisoners of war.





The bill also calls for compensation for all material and spiritual detriments over 17000 individuals killed in terrorist operations, strikes on Irans oil rigs during the later stage of war with Iraq, and espionage against Iran by the US or with the countrys sponsorship and involvement. The legislation also sought compensation for freezing, confiscation, or seizure of the Islamic Republics assets, and public and/or governmental institutions or officials as well as hostile measures by Israel, supported by the US.





Bill to Promote Revolutionary Diplomacy in order to Boost Foreign Ministrys Powers (2016): the single emergency bill was not approved, returning to the parliaments normal agenda. As Kazem Jalali told media, the bill was proposed in response to the United States, who was working on several bills against Iran and in its pursuit of Iranophobia, trying to affect the post-nuclear deal atmosphere and pushing Iran to regret the nuclear deal (JCPOA).





On Tuesday, Majlis worked on a double-emergency bill to retaliate United States adventurous and unconventional measures, i.e. a Senate bill in the making that obligates the US administration to impose new sanctions on Irans missiles program within 90 says.





How effective are the bills?


Chairman ofMajlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi explained the executive power of retaliatory bills to Khabar Online. When bill turns into law and is notified to the president, it cannot be taken lightly and it must be implemented. Speaking about the ultimate destiny of previous bills, he reminds of bill passed in the 7thParliament (2004-2008) calling for termination of Irans voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol when Irans nuclear dossier was about to be referred to the UN Security Council. They sent the dossier to the UNSC and we passed the bill in response. It was then implemented, paving the ground for development of the countrys nuclear activities. Parliament legislations are quite serious, he added. When asked about the impact of such measures in the international scene, he highlighted their impact, saying Iran should stand against excessive demands on the US side.





Bill as Propaganda


More often than not, single and double emergency retaliatory bills are believed to have a propaganda function rather than implementation. Former Iranian diplomat and member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Morteza Saffari agrees. Just in the same way that most Congress bills have propaganda functions, those brought up in theMajlisdo contain a publicity factor, he said. We have numerous tools for retaliation, which are less costly and more effective, Saffari added.





Saffari argued in favor of increased pressure on Israel, which he called the Achilles heel of the US in Middle East. Lets not forget that Washington too has assets in the region. Therefore, we could opt for stronger confrontation through collective measures. We can freeze US assets through our amicable ties with neighboring countries, he said. Irans former ambassador to Madrid stressed that operational measure are better than bills passed in Majlis, saying such bills are not usually well-researched and play a rather propagandistic role.





Flaws Admitted


Spokesman for the parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee told Khabar Online that the parliament does its best for the bills to be well-researched and have executive power. We do not claim that the bills are flawless. The reason the double-emergency bill was not brought to the parliament is that some parliamentary caucuses proposed some corrections, Hossein Naghavi Hosseini said.





Speaking about the ultimate fate of bills legislated in the past, he said they have been implemented and quite fruitful in some cases, including indemnity for those affected by US measures. We have issued decrees worth more than $90b, which will be implemented. The US has issued judgements worth $70b and has failed in full implementation, but they will act as soon as they reach our assets. We will do the same as soon as we find access to their properties, he added.





To implement the bills passed, the US has even resorted to Alavi Foundation, while it is a private institution and its seizure is a violation of international regulations, Naghavi Hosseini reiterated. Since US is involved in economic ties in our region, bills passed in Majlis will absolutely have operational and deterrent power, he added.





* Thispiecewas originally published in moderate website Khabar Online.

https://theiranproject.com/vdcevf8wvjh8pei.1kbj.html
Your Name
Your Email Address