Senate Passes Iran Sanctions Bill

“Gasoline sanctions have been characterized by some as a silver bullet which would cripple the Iranian economy and inflict a mortal wound on the regime, while others have deplored the sanctions as an ineffective pinprick,” Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Executive Director Mark Dubowitz said in a statement. “Both views are wrong: These sanctions — which have already shown early success — are an extension of a comprehensive economic warfare strategy designed to weaken the regime and feed the flames of Iranian public discontent.

Dubowitz said Obama could send a shot across the bow by targeting the Malaysian, Kuwaiti or Swiss companies who are some of Iran’s largest gasoline suppliers.

“Iran’s gasoline suppliers include the Swiss-Dutch energy giants, Vitol and Trafigura; the British-Dutch multinational, Shell; the French energy powerhouse, Total; Russia’s LUKOIL; Kuwait’s Independent Petroleum Group; the state-owned Malaysian energy company, Petronas; and China’s state-run Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp,” he said. If the administration were to sanction some company, “this would send the requisite shockwave across the energy industry without getting into a direct fight with the P5+1.”