The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday to tighten sanctions on Iran and called on the U.S. government to brand Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.
The bill, passed by 397 votes to 16, was proposed by Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The bill is aimed at blocking foreign investment in Iran by sanctioning foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries which invest in Iran, particularly in the oil and gas sectors.
It also prohibits U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation with nations that support Iran's nuclear program and calls on the U.S. government to urge foreign states and banks to divest from Iranian interests.
Moreover, the bill also urges the U.S. State Department to brand Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard as a "foreign terrorist organization" and therefore subject the corps and affiliated companies to economic sanctions.
Iran has been under U.S. sanctions as U.S. laws impose sanctions on any foreign company that invests 20 million dollars or more in Iran's energy industry.
Washington has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
<i>Source: Xinhua</i>
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