Washington extended for another 10 years, the law on sanctions against Iran. The document came into force on Thursday midnight, reports Associated Press (AP).
The final decision was to take President Barack Obama to either sign or reject a bill on the extension of sanctions against Iran adopted earlier by the U.S. Congress. However, he did neither the one nor the other, and so the document automatically became law.
Economic restrictions on Iran shall be extended in connection with the testing of ballistic missiles, human rights violations and the government’s support for international terrorism. The previous period of economic restrictions imposed on Iran, will expire on 31 December 2016.
Although the White House had said that Obama was expected to sign the 10-year extension of Iran Sanctions Act, the midnight deadline came and went Thursday with no signature from the president, AP reported.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that Obama had decided to let it become law without his signature, AP wrote.
'The administration has, and continues to use, all of the necessary authorities to waive the relevant sanctions' lifted as part of the nuclear deal, Earnest was quoted by AP as saying in a statement.
Both US House of Representatives and Senate have voted for the 10-year extension ISA dating back to 1996 in the name of proponent of the bill, the US Senator D'Amato to penalize US companies making over 20 million investment in Iranian energy industry.
Though Obama's move doesn't prevent the sanctions renewal from entering force, it marked a symbolic attempt by the president to demonstrate disapproval for lawmakers' actions, the foreign media noted, adding the White House has expressed concern that the renewal may undermine the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the six world powers including the US.
