US President Barack Obama has extended Washingtons decades-old state of emergency against Iran for one more year.This is a routine renewal of the policy and is not new or connected in any way to the Geneva discussion, CNN quoted an Obama administration official as saying on Tuesday.
The official was referring to the recent nuclear talks held in Geneva between Iran and six world powers.
The previous order did not expire - we must renew it to prevent it from expiring, the unnamed official said.
The state of emergency has been in place since 1979 when Tehran and Washington cut diplomatic ties.
Obamas renewal of state of emergency is in stark contrast with his claims of making overtures to the Islamic Republic.
In the first direct communication between an Iranian and a US president since Irans Islamic Revolution of 1979, President Hassan Rouhani received a call from Obama on September 27 shortly before leaving New York, where he attended the 68th session of UN General Assembly.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry will try to convince the Senate to temporarily halt imposing new sanctions against Iran amidst ongoing talks over Tehrans nuclear energy program.
Kerry is scheduled to brief the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday on the recent round of negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US - plus Germany which was held on November 7-10 in Geneva.
While the next round of talks between Iran and the Sextet is slated for November 20, the US Senate banking committee is considering additional sanctions against Tehran.
By Press TV
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