Tough U.S. sanctions aimed at presidential election in Iran: Iranian MP

TEHRAN,Jan.6(MNA) – MP Mohammad Hassan Asafari said that the United States has been intensifying sanctions against the country in order to achieve its objectives in Iran’s 2013 presidential election. According to AP, U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law a wide ranging defense bill including about $633 billion in spending and beefed up sanctions on Iran on Wednesday. On Saturday, Asafari, who is a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said, “The United States is seeking to intensify sanctions so that it can achieve its objectives in Iran’s presidential election. But they must be confident that the sanctions will lead to our people turning out in larger numbers, and eventually, the Americans will be the loser in the election.” “The more the United States demonstrates hostility toward the Islamic Republic, the more determinedly the Iranian nation will follow their path,” he added. Asafari also stated, “The Americans are seeking to create a barrier in the way of the progress of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Revolution to prevent progress from being made. The more successful we are in military, scientific, political, and foreign policy fields, the more they intensify sanctions.” Commenting on the negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) over the country’s nuclear program, the Iranian MP said, “The more we get closer to the negotiations, the more the sanctions and the pressure intensify.” Asafari also criticized United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for remaining silent in the face of the U.S. measures against Iran, saying, “We believe a UN secretary general who does not dare to prepare a resolution or statement against the hostile measures of the United States, must resign.”