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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Opposes Broad Sanctions Targeting Iranian People

On January 4^th Secretary of State Hillary Clinton first publicly stated that the Administration opposes sanctions that hurt the Iranian people:

On January 5^th, Undersecretary PJ Crowley repeated that the Administration does not want sanctions that punish the Iranian people at the State Department's daily press briefing:

"As the Secretary said, one possibility is to focus more specifically on the Revolutionary Guards, the IRGC. We're taking a much more prominent role within Iran. We want to do this in a way that can target specific entities within the Iranian Government but not punish the Iranian people, who are clearly looking for a different relationship with their government." (State Department)

On January 11^th Secretary Clinton reiterated that the Administration believes targeted sanctions are the smarter way forward:

"It is clear that there is a relatively small group of decision makers inside Iran...They are in both political and commercial relationships, and if we can create a sanctions track that targets those who actually make the decisions, we think that is a smarter way to do sanctions." (New York Times)

Senior Administration Officials Oppose Broad Sanctions Targeting Iranian People

From the Washington Post:

"We have never been attracted to the idea of trying to get the whole world to cordon off their economy," said a senior U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. "We have to be deft at this, because it matters how the Iranian people interpret their isolation -- whether they fault the regime or are fooled into thinking we are to blame."

As a result, top officials show little apparent interest in legislation racing through Congress that would punish companies that sell refined petroleum to Iran. "Sanctions would not be an alternative to engagement," another senior official said. "Our intention is to keep the door open."

From the LA Times:

 From Reuters:

U.S. officials, congressional aides and Western diplomats said the administration has grown increasingly cool to broad-based sanctions targeting the oil sector with the aim of destabilizing the Iranian economy.

...

This is not about trying to bring Iran to its economic knees. It is about stopping the nuclear weapons program," said a Western diplomat. Broad-based sanctions aimed at destabilizing the overall economy "would just feed into Iranian paranoia" about the West, according to the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Washington, DC - With the Senate expected to approve comprehensive Iran legislation, S.2799, in the coming weeks, NIAC has released a guide offering suggested changes to the legislation that would bring the bill more in line with the Obama Administration's strategy.

S.2799 is intended to enhance the President's options regarding Iran, providing him new tools to accomplish US policy aims.  However, senior Administration officials have expressed serious concerns with the bill in the media and in a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated a preference for targeted sanctions aimed at "those who actually make the decisions" and do not "contribute to the suffering of the ordinary Iranians, who deserve better than what they currently are receiving".  The Administration is now involved in negotiations with Senate leaders to resolve these issues.

A diplomatic resolution to the conflict between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States is certainly the most desirable outcome. There is, however, a definite possibility that before a diplomatic solution is reached the United States, either alone or in conjunction with its allies, will impose further sanctions against Iran as a way of preventing the possible future development of nuclear weapons. As a result, it is necessary to examine various types of sanctions and their potential efficacy regarding Iran. If sanctions are enacted, then it will be necessary to institute a program that carries the least potential for unintended consequences.

This report briefly compares two different forms of sanctions, and makes a tentative assessment about which types of sanctions could be applied to Iran with the most positive results. For the purposes of the comparison, sanctions are examined in a vacuum, which allows for the pros and cons of the two types of sanctions to be weighed without outside influences. In order to achieve this aim, selective sanctions, rather than broad-based sanctions, are the best option.

Cross-posted from the Huffington Post

Iranians will soon have a new tool at their disposal to broadcast their protests and their government's repression to the outside world. Voice of America announced last week that it will unveil a new application for iPhone and Android mobile devices that will enable Iranians to upload videos, photos and other content to the VOA's Persian News Network. The app will be available for download on VOA's website, as well as through VOA's Twitter and Facebook accounts, and even from the Apple store.

This development may seem minor given that Iranians are already using camera phones and Twitter accounts to funnel information to the outside world. But the significance is that, until a recent policy shift, it has been illegal for American software to go to Iran--meaning that the Iranian uprising, which itself could be described as an open source movement, has been denied access to some of the most innovative communication and networking software available due to obsolete US policies.

For Immediate Release

Washington, DC - The National Iranian American Council welcomes the Obama administration's decision to pursue targeted sanctions on Iran's leaders rather than indiscriminate sanctions that would contribute to the suffering of the Iranian people.

"As the Iranian people continue to bravely stand up for their rights, NIAC has been calling on the Administration not to punish the Iranian people for the activities of their government," said Dokhi Fassihian, member of NIAC's Board of Directors.  "We are pleased that the Obama administration is committed to pressuring Tehran in a way that spares innocent people unnecessary suffering." 

Washington, DC - The U.S. House of Representatives last night passed the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (H.R. 2194) by a vote of 412 – 12, with 4 voting present. IRPSA targets Iran’s ability to import refined petroleum, which accounts for up to forty percent of the petroleum consumed in the country. Speaking in support of the sanctions bill, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), said “we must impose sanctions so painful they threaten the [Iranian] regime’s survival.”

The overriding opinion expressed by supporters of IRPSA was that sanctions are necessary as a result of failure to reach a diplomatic solution since talks began in October. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) supported H.R. 2194 saying that Iran has ignored the nuclear enrichment offers put forward by the P5+1 countries, and, therefore, the time has come for “the international community to consider stronger options.”

Both the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) supported IRPSA. In addition, an alliance of conservative evangelist leaders, including Pat Robertson, John Hagee and Gary Bauer, addressed a letter to Congress stating their support for increased sanctions against Iran.

Washington, DC - When asked about an alternative to the latest Iran sanctions bill, Robin Wright of the US Institute of Peace said today "I think the opposition in Iran would be stunned and pleased that Congress would be enlightened enough to" pursue a different path, such as the one offered yesterday by the Iranian Digital Empowerment Act.