The Iranian parliament speaker has lashed out at the U.S. Senate for proceeding with a bill that would impose new sanctions against Iran and threatened that Tehran will take retaliatory measures against Washington. “The U.S. Senate bill that supports terrorists and expands sanctions [against Iran] was very indecent. At a time when we were fighting terrorists in the parliament, the U.S. Senate passed a bill in support of terrorists. This shows the fact that they possess the lowest sentiment of humanity,” Ali Larinjani said on Friday. “America has introduced itself as the great international Daesh [Islamic State], and this country’s actions corroborate statements by Imam Ruhollah Khomeini [Islamic Republic’s founder] and Supreme Leader [Ali Khamenei] that America is the Great Satan.”
He also vowed retaliation. “America is imposing sanctions against Sepah [Islamic Revolution Guards Corps] and the Quds Force, both of which are the regime’s red lines. We will therefore deal a crushing blow to them.”
Comment: On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly for a bill that would impose new sanctions against Iranian individuals and entities associated with the country’s missile program, support for terrorism, and human rights abuses. Some senators, such as former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, unsuccessfully tried to delay the vote, saying that the timing to punish Iran was inappropriate just hours after the Tehran attacks. The bill requires the approval of the House of Representatives and President Donald Trump to become law.
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