Washington D.C. - Congressman Howard L. Berman, Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s decision to impose sanctions on three foreign companies for providing refined petroleum to Iran. The authority to levy these sanctions was provided under the ‘Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010’ (CISADA), authored by Rep. Berman and former Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT):

“I applaud the President’s decision to impose sanctions on these foreign companies with the authority provided under the Berman-Dodd ‘Comprehensive IranSanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010’ (CISADA).

“This action sends a powerful message to Chinese and other international companies doing business in the Iranian energy sector to either cease such activity or face the force of U.S. sanctions.

“Iran continues its dangerous program that is clearly aimed at acquiring a nuclear weapons capability. Just this week, Tehran started enriching uranium at a second facility, which is built into the side of a mountain on a military base. It is ideal for producing weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb.

“We have very little time left to convince the Iranian government to change course. Cutting off Iran’s supply of refined petroleum, using the law we passed, is one of the few options we have to find a peaceful solution to this growing crisis.”

The three companies sanctioned by the Administration are among Iran’s largest suppliers of refined petroleum products: Zhenrong Company of China, Kuo OilCompany of Singapore and FAL Oil Company of the United Arab Emirates.

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