(photo: jdlasica)
Today, hundreds of thousands of Iranians appeared at rallies and counter-protests marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The Basiji militia intimidated and oppressed reformist protesters today in a brutal crackdown. In a speech to ralliers, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that Iran had successfully upped their uranium enrichment, while insisting that the country was not building a nuclear weapon:
A day after Washington announced new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, Ahmadinejad vowed “the Iranian nation will never give in to bullying and illogical remarks.
He repeated Iran’s stance that it is not building a nuclear weapon and does not intend to do so, adding, “If we wanted to manufacture a bomb, we would announce it.”
The sanctions announced yesterday by the Treasury Department are small and targeted, impacting just four companies affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard Corps. This is basically a placeholder for multi-lateral sanction efforts at the United Nations. But never ones to miss an opportunity to bash Iran, John McCain and Joe Lieberman today unleashed a bill that would sanction human rights abusers in Iran (not those in America who abused human rights through torture or rendition, mind you).
“The scheme is straightforward: the bill requires the President to draw up and periodically update a list of names of individuals who have committed human rights abuses in Iran,” a Senate aide says. “These individuals are then subject to a set of targeted sanctions, including a visa ban and various financial restrictions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.”
The Senate bill comes amid reports of attacks on several Iranian opposition leaders Iran today during demonstrations to mark the 31st anniversary of the Iranian revolution.
In a statement today, McCain said “The rulers of iran have no desire to meet their international responsibilities, and every desire to use the tools of violence and repression at their disposal to crush the peaceful aspirations of Iran’s citizens.” Lieberman added on MSNBC today that “I would say that the opposition to this fanatical government, regime in Tehran is not going to go away… It’s just a matter of time until the people triumph over this government that does not really represent them.”
I think McCain and Lieberman just don’t want to be left behind in a sanctions roundelay. New sanctions are likely for a variety of reasons, and Iran’s intransigence in talks with the West may even make them multilateral. And it’s unclear whether the effect of these sanctions will help reformers or swing the public behind the ruling regime in a nationalist fervor, as it may have done today. Maybe McCain, Lieberman and the rest of us shouldn’t be so helpful to the Green Movement. Maybe we’re not helping at all.
…I should add that the Administration is using equal amounts carrots and sticks, offering paths forward as they try to target the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
