TEHRAN – A group of lawmakers have put forward a motion that would ban entry of reporters from countries advocating Washington’s anti-Iran sanctions.

Over 160 MPs have signed the motion, which deplored the hostile measures by a series of foreign press agencies against Iran’s national interests, Tasnim reported on Saturday.

The lawmakers also called for action against the followers of American sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

They said the government should make the necessary arrangements to refuse reporters of the media outlets supporting the U.S. sanctions on Iran.

In April, Iranian lawmakers ratified two clauses of a comprehensive plan to deal with the U.S. hostile policies.

One of the bills entails legal action against the U.S. move to blacklist the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and requires the government to act in line with the measures passed by the Supreme National Security Council to “counter the terrorist activities of the American forces who threaten the Islamic Republic of Iran’s interests.”

The other motion stipulated that “the Islamic Republic of Iran’s administration and the armed forces are duty bound to take the necessary and wise measures in due time in such a way that the American forces could not employ any power or equipment against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s interests.”

In early April, the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee decided to table 14 motions as part of a strategy to counter the U.S. hostile measures.

According to the motions, the administration, ministries, and executive organizations are required to carry out policies to deal with, foil, and publicize the United States’ belligerent measures.

Tensions started to build up between the U.S. and Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May 2018, and imposed sanctions against Tehran in a bid to put maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic. Tehran has slammed the sanctions, which have affected the lives of thousands of Iranians, as “economic terrorism”.

MH/PA