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Iran sanctions extended after Senate votes – CNNPolitics.com

The measure passed 99 to 0 just weeks after the House passed it 419-1. It will be sent to President Barack Obama, who has not said if he will sign or veto the legislation.

"Preserving these sanctions is critical given Iran's disturbing pattern of aggression and its persistent efforts to expand its sphere of influence across the Middle East," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said this week.

"Extending the Iran Sanctions Act is an important step in congressional efforts to keep Iran's feet to the fire on a host of issues. Doing so it particularly vital if the United States is to retain a credible deterrent of snap back sanctions if Iran cheats" on the nuclear accord," said Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.

The sanctions, which target Iran's energy, military and banking sectors, were first put in place in 1996 and have been extended and added to since then. Many lawmakers believe it was these congressionally-mandated sanctions that forced Iran to the bargaining table and led to an eventual nuclear agreement.

The sanctions are actually not in effect at the moment since the Obama administration is allowed to waive them as long as Iran is in compliance. But lawmakers were still anxious to keep the sanctions -- which otherwise would expire at the end of the year -- in law so Iran understands how serious Congress is that the Islamic state not try again to develop nuclear weapons.

The action comes weeks before the end of the Obama administration, which spent years negotiating the deal, and the beginning of the Trump administration, which has warned it might scrap the deal altogether. There have been signs in recent days Trump might not ditch the accord but might use other steps to apply pressure on Iran to stop its support of international terrorism, its development of ballistic missiles, and its human rights abuses.

"I expect that next year the new Congress and new administration will undertake a review of our overall policy toward Iran, and these authorities should remain in place as we address how best to deal with Iranian missile tests, support to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime," McConnell said.

Iran is not happy about the extension, believing it violates the international accord. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week his country would respond.

"If this sanction is implemented, this is definitely a violation of the agreement, without any doubt," Khamenei said in an address on state television. "And they should know that the Islamic Republic will definitely react towards it."

The White House has argued against Congress extending the sanctions, arguing it has the authority already to unilaterally re-impose the sanctions if needed. The White House has stopped short of saying if the President will veto the measure. If he did, based on the vote counts in each chamber, Congress could easily override the veto.

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Iran Travel Warning

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of travel to Iran.This replaces the Travel Warning for Iran dated March 14, 2016, to reiterate and highlight the risk of arrest and detention of U.S. citizens, particularly dual national Iranian-Americans. Foreigners, in particular dual nationals of Iran and Western countries including the United States, continue to be detained or prevented from leaving Iran. U.S. citizens traveling to Iran should very carefully weigh the risks of travel and consider postponing their travel. U.S. citizens residing in Iran should closely follow media reports, monitor local conditions, and evaluate the risks of remaining in the country.

Iranian authorities continue to unjustly detain and imprison U.S. citizens, particularly Iranian-Americans, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics, on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security. Iranian authorities have also prevented the departure, in some cases for months, of a number of Iranian-American citizens who traveled to Iran for personal or professional reasons. U.S. citizens traveling to Iran should very carefully weigh the risks of travel and consider postponing their travel. U.S. citizens residing in Iran should closely follow media reports, monitor local conditions, and evaluate the risks of remaining in the country.

The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens in Iran. The Swiss government, acting through its Embassy in Tehran, serves as protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.The range of consular services provided by the Foreign Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy is limited and may require significantly more processing time than at U.S. embassies or consulates.

The Iranian government does not recognize dual citizenship and will not allow the Swiss to provide protective services for U.S. citizens who are also Iranian nationals.The Iranian authorities make the determination of a dual nationals Iranian citizenship without regard to the dual nationals personal wishes. Consular access to detained U.S. citizens without dual nationality is often denied as well.

The Iranian government continues to repress some minority religious and ethnic groups, including Christians, Baha'i, Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, and others. Consequently, some areas within the country where these minorities reside, including the Baluchistan border area near Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Kurdish northwest of the country, and areas near the Iraqi border, remain unsafe. Iranian authorities have detained and harassed U.S. citizens, particularly those of Iranian origin. Former Muslims who have converted to other religions, religious activists, and persons who encourage Muslims to convert are subject to arrest and prosecution.

The U.S. government is concerned about the risks to civil aircraft operating into, out of, within, or over Iran due to hazards from military activity associated with the conflicts in Iraq and Syria. TheFAA has advised U.S. civil aviation to exercise caution when flying into, out of, within, or over the airspace over Iran. For further background information regarding FAA flight prohibitions and advisories for U.S. civil aviation, U.S. citizens should consult the Federal Aviation Administrations Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices.

The U.S. governments ability to assist U.S. citizens in Iran in the event of an emergency is extremely limited. U.S. citizens in Iran should ensure that they have updated documentation at all times and make their own plans in the event of an emergency. For more information, see "What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis" at theDepartment's website.

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Iran Travel Warning

Iran condemns extension of nuclear-related sanctions by …

Iranian officials and clerics vowed retaliation Friday against the United States for congressional approval of an extension of nuclear-related sanctions, but Middle East analysts say they expect no substantive response from Iran in the waning weeks of the Obama administration.

Instead, they said, the vote to keep sanctions on the books for another decade sets the stage for President-elect Donald Trump to adopt a more assertive posture with Tehran.

Obama is likely to sign the extension, approved in the Senate on Thursday by a veto-proof vote of 99 to 0.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Secretary of State John F. Kerry will continue to sign sanctions waivers, as stipulated in the nuclear deal reached last year, as long as Iran keeps meeting its obligations. But after January, it will be up to the Trump administration to decide whether to keep reissuing the waivers, which must be done every 120 to 180 days.

Each country is daring the other to walk away from the deal first, said Michael Rubin, a Middle East analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. But no ones going to want to fire the first shot.

In Tehran, the government officially referred the issue to a committee charged with implementing the agreement. But denunciations of the extension rang out from the legislature, mosques and government offices.

Leaders of Friday prayers called the vote a clear violation of the nuclear deal signed between Tehran and six world powers, including the United States. Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for an end to international sanctions. The waivers were written into the agreement so that sanctions could be snapped back if Iran violates the terms of the deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

If you are to tear down the JCPOA, we will set it afire, said Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani, a prayer leader in Tehran.

And the Iranian news agency FARS reported that the legislature is preparing a ban on U.S. consumer goods, something of a hollow threat because most U.S. goods in the country are sold on the black market, smuggled in by groups tied to the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

We are closely monitoring the developments, said Ali Akbar Salehi, the countrys nuclear chief, according to Iranian state TV. If they implement the [Iran Sanctions Act], Iran will take action accordingly.

Much of the rhetoric reflects the way the deal was presented to the Iranian public, as a straightforward end to sanctions instead of a complex set of legal and financial agreements that would only gradually see Iran reintegrated into international trade.

They needed to present it as a victory, and they did, said Suzanne Maloney, a Middle East analyst at the Brookings Institution. They skimmed over the details, and they have used domestic politics as a rationale to put pressure on the Obama administration to lean forward on implementations and financial access for Iran.

Maloney said Tehran may not know how to read Trump, who has called the nuclear deal a disaster and the worst deal ever, and vowed to be tougher.

Theyre dealing with an unpredictable situation, she said. Theyve never faced a U.S. administration in which they have so little awareness of where it stands.

Several analysts said Tehran is posturing and unlikely to turn its back on a deal that continues to provide economic and diplomatic benefits.

Its possible Iran would walk away, but its highly unlikely, said James Phillips, a Middle East analyst at the Heritage Foundation. Iran is still reaping the benefits of sanctions relief. If Iran did walk away, not only would U.N. sanctions snap back but U.S. sanctions would kick in, and those could do a lot of damage to the Iranian economy.

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Iran condemns extension of nuclear-related sanctions by ...

Iran issues threat over U.S. bill renewing sanctions – CBS News

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani takes part in a news conference near the United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York Sept. 22, 2016.

Reuters/Lucas Jackson

TEHRAN, Iran -- Irans President Hassan Rouhani demanded Sunday that U.S. President Barack Obama not sign an extension of U.S. sanctions, saying the bill is a violation of a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Rouhani promised a prompt response from Iran if the U.S. sanctions are extended.

We are committed to an acceptable implementation of the deal but in response to non-commitment, violation or hesitation in its implementation, we will act promptly, he said.

The U.S. Senate voted to extend the Iran Sanctions Act by 10 yearsunanimously, 99-0, on Thursday, two weeks after the House also approved the legislation by an overwhelming margin of 419-1.

The nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers lifted a variety of international sanctions in exchange for limitations on the Iranian nuclear program. However the U.S. still maintains its own separate set of sanctions, which will expire on Dec. 31 if Obama does not sign the extension into law.

Speaking in an open session of Irans parliament Sunday, Rouhani said Obama is obliged to let the sanctions expire.

Lawmakers said the decades-old sanctions law gives the United States the clout to punish Iran should it fail to live up to the terms of thenuclear deal.

President Obama is expected to sign it. Although the White House has said the bill is still being reviewed, Obama administration officials said theyve determined it doesnt breach the international accord meant to slow Irans ability to make nuclear arms. That satisfies a key condition President Obama had established for his approval. The officials werent authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Well let you know what the president decides to do with it, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Thursday.

2016 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Iran deploys warships off Yemen after US, Houthis trade fire …

Iran deployed two warships off Yemen threatening to further escalate tensions after the U.S. fired Tomahawk cruise missiles destroying three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Thursday.

Iran sent the ships to the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's most vital shipping routes, "to protect trade vessels from piracy," Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Still, analysts warn the move could ratchet up the danger to U.S. forces in the region. U.S. intelligence has linked Iran to the funding of Yemen's Shiite rebels, who have also waged a series of attacks against Saudi Arabia, a longtime U.S. ally.

The U.S. official said the Houthis indeed fired missiles targeting American ships twice over just four days. The ships were not hit.The U.S. destroyed the coastal radar sites early Thursday.

Fox News is told one of the Iranian ships carries the same type of anti-shipmissiles the Houthis were suspected of firing this week, and the other ship carries a helicopter. White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said the U.S. would not speculate on the Iranians' intentions.

A U.S. official told Fox News a Chinese warship and Russian intelligence ship were in the same region Thursday.

In January, Iran's Revolutionary Guard captured 10 U.S. Navy sailors after their two boats drifted into Iranian territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. The Americans were released roughly 16 hours later. The U.S. also accused Iran of engaging in dozens of "unsafe and unprofessional" interactions with the U.S. Navy, including the shadowing of a U.S. patrol ship last month.

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said President Barack Obama authorized the strikes at the recommendation of Defense Secretary Ash Carter and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. He added that these were limited self-defense strikes conducted to protect U.S. personnel, ships and freedom of navigation.

The USS Nitze launched the missiles, Cook added.

Meanwhile, the state news agency Saba -- under Houthis' control -- quoted an unnamed military official as saying that U.S. accusations that a U.S. destroyer had come under attack from areas under control of Houthis were false.

Sharaf Loqman, spokesman for the Yemeni Army, called it an "American farce to find a reason to interfere in Yemen directly after failure of the Saudis."

He said that the army never targets ships outside the territorial waters and only those that enter the Yemeni waters come under attack.

The missile attacks came on the heels of two other attacks against Saudi sites. A ballistic missile fired from Yemen apparently targeted a Saudi air base near the Muslim holy city of Mecca, the deepest strike yet into the kingdom by Shiite rebels and their allies. The rebels fired another two missiles into the Saudi Jizan region along the border on Monday, wounding two foreigners who worked there, the local civil defense said in a statement.

The Houthis and their allies have offered no reason for the launches, though they came after a Saudi-led airstrike targeting a funeral in Yemen's capital killed more than 140 people and wounded 525 on Saturday.

The U.S. cruise missile launches come as the U.S. considers withdrawing its support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis following Saturday's airstrike on the funeral and other troubling incidents of civilian casualties as a result of the Saudi bombing campaign.

Human rights groups have expressed outrage over the deaths and accused the U.S. of complicity, leading the White House to say it was conducting a "review" to ensure U.S. cooperation with longtime partner Saudi Arabia is in line with "U.S. principles, values and interests."

The last missile attack on a U.S. Naval ship was on the USS Stark in May 1987, which was in the middle of a six-month patrol in the Persian Gulf when it was hit by two missiles fired from an Iraqi fighter plane. A total of 37 sailors were killed during the attack.

Fox News' Bret Baier, Kristin Brown, Kara Rowland, Lucas Tomlinsonand The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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