B’nai B’rith International commends the U.S. Senate and House for passing historic and tough action that will place meaningful economic sanctions on the Iranian regime where it will hurt them the most.

The new measure targets Iran’s refined petroleum sector and international financial institutions that do business with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard and with Iranian banks. These sanctions expand the multilateral sanctions approved by the United Nations and sanctions under discussion in the European Union.

B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin called the Congressional action “a powerful step toward thwarting the nuclear threat of the tyrannical regime in power in Iran. Because they represent the greatest threat to humanity today, it is essential that the world come together to prevent Iran from achieving its destructive nuclear ambitions.”

B’nai B’rith has long advocated the imposition of strong and comprehensive sanctions against Iran. Mariaschin congratulated Congress for its action: “Your declaration that Iran must immediately cease its relentless drive toward becoming a nuclear power will serve as a strong warning to those institutions that would choose to do business with Iran that such a move will have serious economic consequences.”

B’nai B’rith urges the president to sign the legislation into law quickly.