No exemptions in Iran sanctions bill

US Senators aim to pass new sanctions against Iran without exempting the so-called “cooperating countries” as demanded by the Obama administration.

A conference committee, appointed by the House of Representatives, began discussing the two Iran sanctions bill last week.

The administration of President Barack Obama wants the committee to include waivers in the bills for certain companies of “cooperating countries.”

The waivers would allow the administration to exempt any company or country from penalties set in the legislation for doing business with Iran.

However, according to a Foreign Policy report, some Senate and Congress representatives are doubling their efforts to pass the legislation without the inclusion of any such exemptions.

They have also publicly stated their opposition to any changes in the bill that would weaken the sanctions against Iran, the report said.

Critics believe the waivers are aimed at dropping possible penalties for Chinese and Russian companies in return for Moscow and Beijing’s support for a fourth round of UN sanctions against Iran.

The Obama administration’s efforts to pass a new sanctions resolution at the UN Council is considered “complementary” to Congressional action, but the conference must be completed as soon as possible, “regardless of progress at the UN,” according to a statement by a group of bipartisan senators.