'A colossal mistake': GOP-controlled Senate votes down measure blocking Iran military strike

WASHINGTON (USA Today) – The GOP-controlled Senate defeated a measure Friday that would have blocked President Donald Trump from launching a military strike against Iran unless he got explicit congressional approval.

By Hanif Ghaffari

The U.S. Senate's role in the killing of Yemeni children

TEHRAN - The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday to end American military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. This was reported by the media as the strongest show of bipartisan defiance against Trump’s support for the Saudi family over the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was against bin Salman policies.

By hamid Bayati  

Trump impeachment and stigmatizing MBS; the fate in the Congress’s hand

TEHRAN - Perhaps Mohammed bin Salman failed to imagine that his credibility and royal reputation, or what’s left of it, would depend on U.S. Senate, which has become a nightmare for him.

By Mohammad Ghaderi

Decoding Pompeo's words at U.S. Senate

TEHRAN - The CIA Director "Mike Pompeo", who is nominee for Secretary of State, has recently mentioned meaningful words in his hearing at the Senate on Iran and the nuclear deal. In his words, he acknowledged that Iran was not after nuclear weapons even before the nuclear deal, nor will be in the future.

Mogherini in Washington to defend Iran nuclear deal 

TEHRAN – European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Monday left for Washington to defend the Iran nuclear deal.

By Elaine C. Kamarck

Trump is just six senate votes away from impeachment

At some point in 2019 (if not sooner) a Republican Senator may walk into the Oval Office and say to President Trump: “Mr. President, we don’t have the votes,” at which point the Trump presidency will end in a resignation or a conviction in the Senate.

Iranian Foreign Ministry, Parliament agree on anti-U.S. bill 

TEHRAN – On Saturday, Iran’s parliament (Majlis) and Foreign Ministry agreed unanimously on a draft bill to counter “the U.S. support for terrorism and adventurism in the Middle East.” 

IRGC to receive $600m as offset to U.S. legislation

TEHRAN – Iran’s parliament, the Majlis, is preparing a legislation to grant 20 trillion rials (over $600 million) to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in response to the new U.S. sanctions moves.

Velayati says Senate sanctions are breach of nuclear deal

TEHRAN - The U.S. Senate's decision to impose new sanctions on Iran is an "unquestionable" violation of a nuclear deal reached in 2015 between Tehran and six major powers including the United States, a senior Iranian official said on Friday.

Zarif says has written to Mogherini twice on U.S. ‘destructive policies’  

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday he has sent “two written messages” to the European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, over the past weeks on “destructive policies” of the U.S.

By Donald Lambro

‘I need loyalty. I expect loyalty’

Former FBI director James Comey erased any doubt last week that President Trump asked him to halt a key part of his investigation into the Russian collusion scandal and insisted on his complete “loyalty.”

By staff and agencies

U.S. Senate approves new sanctions on Iran

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved on Thursday the most sweeping sanctions against Iran since a nuclear deal was reached in 2015.

U.S. senators consider sanctions on Iran after missile launch

TEHRAN – U.S. Republican senators plan to introduce a legislation to impose further sanctions on Iran in the wake of the recent missile test by Iran, a U.S. senator announced on Sunday.

Hawkish GOP senators reintroduce Iran non-nuclear sanctions bill

In the first session of the new Congress, U.S. Republican Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Todd Young (R-IN) and John Cornyn (R-TX) reintroduced the Iran Non-nuclear Sanctions Act, a legislation that would impose harsh financial and economic sanctions countering Iran’s non-nuclear activities.

Rouhani says decisions on Senate bill made

TEHRAN – Iran has come up with decisions on how to react to an anti-Iran act by the U.S. Senate which it says infringes an international nuclear deal finalized last year with six world powers. 

An implemented ISA would fly in face of nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has warned the U.S. administration of signing into law of an anti-Iran act, saying it goes against Washington's commitments under an international deal between Iran and world powers.

Iranian parliament to adopt legislation against Senate act

TEHRAN - MP Akbar Ranjbarzadeh said on Friday that the Iranian parliament will approve a triple emergency plan on Sunday to counter the Senate’s act.

Senate act will influence international trust on U.S.: senior reformist lawmaker

TEHRAN - Mohammad Reza Aref, head of the reformist parliamentary Hope faction, said on Friday that the Senate’s action in extending the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) for another 10 years will negatively influence international trust on the U.S.

Tehran rejects Senate sanctions renewal as JCPOA breach

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday the U.S. Senate’s vote to renew sanctions law against Tehran flouts the terms of an international nuclear deal finalized last year.