Iran Sanctions - Foreign Press Centers

Iran Sanctions
H.R. 2105/S. 1048: The Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Reform
and Modernization Act/Iran, North Korea, and Syria Sanctions Consolidation
Act of 2011
A Senate bill that focuses primarily on economic sanctions and proliferation sanctions is S. 1048,
introduced May 23, 2011. H.R. 2105, which has provisions similar to S. 1048 was passed on
December 14, 2011, as noted above. Among other provisions, S. 1048:
• States (§101) that it is the policy of the United States to prevent Iran from
acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
• Primarily targets affiliates of the IRGC for sanctions, and expands the list of
sanctions (adding a ban on financing, aid, or investment) to be imposed on
violating entities named under the Iran, North Korea, Syria, Non-Proliferation
Act INKSNA), discussed earlier in this report.
• Like H.R. 1905, subjects to ISA sanctions purchases of Iranian oil or gas in
which the IRGC or its affiliates are involved.
• Like H.R. 1905, mandates sanctions (§123, a ban on U.S. government contracts
and ban on imports to the United States) on any entity determined to have
conducted any commercial or financial transaction with the IRGC or its affiliates.
• Sanctions foreign firms that participate in energy-related joint ventures with Iran
outside Iranian territory.
• Prohibits ships to put into port in the United States if the vessel entered a port in
Iran, North Korea, or Syria any time 180 days prior.
• Like H.R. 1905, denies visas to senior officials of Iran, but extends that to North
Korea and Syria, and does not define specific government agencies in Iran whose
members shall be named by the Administration.
• Provides for sanctions against any person determined to be providing or
acquiring militarily useful equipment to/from Iran, North Korea, or Syria.
• Contains Iran human rights-related and SEC disclosure provisions similar to bills
discussed below.
S. 2101
On February 2, 2012, the Senate Banking Committee ordered to be reported S. 2101, a bill that
combines elements of S. 1048, H.R. 1905, and H.R. 2105, called the “Iran Sanctions,
Accountability, and Human Rights Act of 2012.” The main new elements, many of which were
contained in amendments adopted at the Committee mark-up, include
• Barring foreign banks from the U.S. market if they process transactions with the
Iran National Oil Company (NIOC) and the Iran National Tanker Company
(NITC). (This is similar to a stand-alone bill, H.R. 3843, introduced on January
31, 2012.)
• Authorizing sanctions against the inter-bank communication system SWIFT
(Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) and its directors
Congressional Research Service 57