July 15, 2010 | Press Release

FDD Applauds Obama Administration for Targeting Iran’s Energy Industry

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Press Release June 16, 2010 CONTACT: Judy Mayka 202-621-3948
[email protected]
 

FDD Applauds Obama Administration for Targeting Iran's Energy Industry


Washington, D.C. (June 16, 2010) – The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) applauds the U.S. Department of Treasury for taking new and dramatic steps to enforce tough economic sanctions on Iran. Treasury's designation of dozens of individuals, corporate entities and vessels associated with the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will place greater pressure on the regime over its ongoing failure to comply with its international obligations over its nuclear program.

“The international energy sector has been put on notice that the U.S. administration and Congress are united in their goal of stopping the Iranian regime's march to a nuclear bomb and its brutal repression of its own people,” said Mark Dubowitz, FDD's Executive Director and head of its Iran Energy Project. “Smart sanctions can cripple the Iranian energy sector — the lifeblood of the men who rule Iran. As a result of Treasury's actions, international companies will find it more difficult to do business in the Iranian energy sector without transacting with Revolutionary Guard front companies. If these companies feel little shame in doing business with the Revolutionary Guards, it falls to the Obama administration and Congress to do their job and put these companies to a choice by enforcing U.S. law and imposing sanctions that cut them off from the lucrative U.S. market.”

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner announced the new measures as part of a coordinated international strategy to pressure Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“Treasury's actions come at a strategically crucial moment, on the heels of the United Nations sanctions that passed last week,” said former Treasury intelligence analyst Jonathan Schanzer, who now serves as FDD's Vice President for Research. “These individuals and entities span the globe. Thus, for these designations to gain traction, it will be critical for the international community to take action, as well.”

FDD provides leading research and analysis in support of strong, broad-based energy sanctions, including gasoline, natural gas, and oil sanctions, as part of a comprehensive strategy to end the Iranian regime's pursuit of nuclear weapons, abuse of human rights and support for terrorism. For more information, please visit FDD's Iran Energy Project website, IranEnergyProject.org, or contact Judy Mayka at [email protected].

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The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is a non-profit, non-partisan policy institute dedicated exclusively to promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that drive terrorism. Founded shortly after the attacks of 9/11, FDD combines policy research, democracy and counterterrorism education, strategic communications, and investigative journalism in support of its mission. For more information, please visit www.defenddemocracy.org.

 

Issues:

Iran Sanctions