Many US states are likely to stick with their own sanctions against the Iranian regime regardless of reaching a nuclear deal on curbing its nuclear program.
In more than half states in the U.S., the restrictions imposed against dealing with Iranian firms expire only if the Iranian regime is no longer designated to be supporting terrorism or if all US federal sanctions against Tehran are lifted.
A final accord, which is still being negotiated ahead of a June 30 deadline, would likely loosen some restrictions on Iran’s financial system and oil sales, however, federal sanctions tied to issues such as human rights and terrorism would remain in place, Reuters reported.
Around two dozen states in the U.S. have enacted measures punishing companies operating in certain sectors of its economy, directing public pension funds with billions of dollars in assets to divest from the firms and sometimes barring them from public contracts.
“Our investment sanctions are not tied in any way to President Obama’s negotiations with the Iranians,” said Don Gaetz, a Republican Florida state senator who sponsored legislation in 2007 punishing companies with investments in Iran’s energy sector, according to Reuters.
“They would have to change their behavior dramatically and we would not be necessarily guided by President Obama or any other president’s opinion about the Iranians,” Gaetz said.
