U.S. House passes bill to enforce sanctions on Iran regime

U.S. House passes bill to enforce sanctions on Iran regime

The US House of Representatives approved the “Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act,” nearly three weeks after a similar vote was cancelled.

The House narrowly passed the legislation last month, but the vote was voided after nearly a third of the chamber showed up too late to cast their votes.

The “Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act,” bars the removal of certain individuals and financial institutions from a restricted list until Obama administration certifies to Congress that they are not involved in Iran's ballistic missile program or in terrorist.

Following Tuesday’s passage of the Iran Terror Finance Transparency, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Rep. Ed Royce said: The regime in Tehran “is cashing in on a $100 billion jackpot, even as it tests ballistic missiles, seizes American sailors and continues its support for terrorism. President Obama must keep his promise to ‘fully enforce’ sanctions on Iran’s illicit programs and confront its dangerous acts.”

Iran: Atena Faraghdani, recipient of CRNI'S 2015 Courage in cartooning award

Atena Faraghdani

CRNI's 2015 Award for Courage in Editorial Cartooning is being given to Iranian artist-activist, Atena Farghadani. Ms. Farghadani was jailed in Tehran in August of 2014 after publishing a cartoon in protest of proposed legislation that would restrict birth control and women's rights in Iran. Following her release four months later, Farghadani posted a YouTube video recounting her beatings and mistreatment while in prison.

As a result of that letter and her YouTube posting, Farghadani was returned to prison in January, 2015. In May, she was tried and found guilty of "insulting members of parliament through paintings" and "insulting the Iranian supreme leader." Atena Farghadani was sentenced to 12 years, nine months in prison.

The Courage in Cartooning award will be presented to Atena Farghadani in absentia by CRNI founder and Executive Director Dr. Robert Russell in Columbus, Ohio, on September 5, at an evening event during the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists 2015 convention.

(CRNI)