Iran's parliament takes steps to counter U.S. pressures

Iranian Majlis (parliament) on Sunday overwhelmingly approved the

generalities of a motion to counter U.S. pressures and its "terrorist

and adventurous" acts in the region.

The general outlines of the motion were passed with 240 votes in

favor and one abstention during an open parliamentary session on Sunday

morning.

The Majlis ratified the motion which had been prepared by the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Majlis in July.

According to the bill, the Iranian Foreign, Defense and Intelligence

Ministries, as well as the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), IRGC

Quds Forces, and the Iranian Army should work in coordination with the

Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) to prepare regular reports

about the comprehensive measures they take against U.S. threats and its

"hegemonic, terrorist and divisive" policies across the region, Tasnim

news agency reported.

It also seeks to impose sanctions against a series of U.S.

organizations, entities and individuals, including the U.S. military and

security officials who have had a role in providing military, financial

and intelligence support for "terrorist and extremist groups" in the

region.

Moreover, the bill proposes plans to counter the U.S. economic

sanctions, calling for closer trade interaction with the countries

working with Iran.

The legislative move by Iran follows the U.S. President Donald

Trump's signing of a sanctions bill on Russia, Iran and the Democratic

People's Republic of Korea on Aug. 2.

Sanctions against Iran is mainly in response to Tehran's growing missile program.

Iranian officials have repeatedly said Iran's missile program is for deterrent purposes.

The lawmakers' motion on Sunday also tasks the government to allocate

an additional defense budget of 260 million U.S. dollars for the

"development of the missile program."

The motion, once turns into a law, will grant the same amount to the Quds Forces of IRGC.

The Quds Force, also known as Qods, is a special unit of Iran's IRGC responsible for "extraterritorial" missions of the Corps.

The U.S. officials should know that the motion by Iranian parliament

is the first step to counter U.S. adventurism in the region, the Majlis

Speaker Ali Larijani said following the parliament meeting on Sunday.

If the United States imposes more sanctions on Iran, the Iranian

government is obliged to take further necessary measures to counter

Washington, Larijani said.

In the meantime, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi

described the anti-U.S. parliament motion a "clever" move that avoids

violating Iran nuclear deal, official IRNA news agency reported.

Araqchi told Majlis on Sunday that "This bill is an astute response

to the enmity and wickedness of the United States against Iran."

Araqchi, also Iranian top nuclear negotiator, said that the Foreign Ministry and the government are supporters of the bill.

He said that the bill is the outcome of a series of actions proposed

by the Iranian committee monitoring implementation of the nuclear deal

and is much stronger than the U.S. sanctions bill against the Islamic

republic.

The parliament will convene again next week to discuss the details of the motion and vote on the bill.