Congress Cuts In

Yesterday the House Appropriations Committee voted to cut off loans to companies tied to the Iranian oil industry. NIAC highlights the subsequent spin by the state-run Kayhan newspaper that the US is directly aiding Mousavi, and adds:

Yesterday, NIAC’s own Patrick Disney was quoted in CQ saying Congress would actually be undermining Mousavi’s cause if it passed the sanctions.  “The perception would be ‘U.S. Congress imposes harsh new sanctions to destabilize the Iranian economy,” he said. What’s done is done, but it is so unfortunate that members of Congress don’t see the danger of using the situation in Iran as a political football.  Such a shame.