Rubio: News Senate will pass laws imposing sanctions on Iran

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is predicting that the upcoming Senate will pass laws imposing sanctions on the Iranian regime next year.

“I think we’ll have a supermajority, a veto-proof majority, to impose additional sanctions on Iran and to require the administration to come before Congress for approval of any deal that [President Barack Obama] has with Iran,” Rubio said in an interview airing on Thursday.

“I think the same is true of the Keystone pipeline, potentially.”

Rubio said he would be prepared to vote for imposing sanctions on the Iranian regime as soon as today.

He aims for a bill that would require congressional approval for sanctions and impose them “upon a failure of the [nuclear] deal” within the next six months.

Fifty-four Republicans, 44 Democrats and 2 independents will make up the new Senate after a landslide midterm election that left Republicans with a clear majority.

Pope Francis Calls for Peace in First 2015 Tweet

  

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis called Thursday for peace in his first tweet of 2015, before officiating at a mass at the Vatican dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

“How many innocent people and children suffer in the world! Lord, grant us your peace!” the Pontiff wrote on his official Twitter account.

The Pope’s account, which was created two years ago during the time of Pope Benedict XVI, is available in several languages and reached 17 million followers in December.

Note from Blogger : Iran's Human right's violation's " Violate the spirit of their people"

Iran want's to criticize the latest U.S. sanctions and talk violating the "spirit of the Nuclear talk's ," but what about the spirit of their people ? 
What about their human rights, stabbings, acid throwing on women ? What about Justice, or the arrest of suspect (s) of such nasty crimes? Iran must take their Government a step further , make the world respect them . They must start with some basic human right's laws . 

Iran says new U.S. sanctions violate spirit of nuclear talks

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Iran criticized the latest U.S. sanctions on nine targets who Washington says have helped Tehran avoid existing sanctions or commit human rights abuses, saying they contravened the spirit of international talks on Iran's nuclear programme.

The new targets include five individuals and one entity suspected of assisting the Iranian government to buy or acquire U.S. currency, and two companies linked to human rights violations.

Iran said the U.S. move contradicted the spirit of the nuclear talks between Iran and the six powers known as "P5+1" - the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and Britain.

"At a time negotiations are underway with P5+1, such a move raises doubts about America's intentions and violates the good will principles," foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

"This action is for mere publicity and will have no bearing whatsoever on our commercial policies," she added.

Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen said Tuesday's move was part of efforts to enforce the existing sanctions regime and the United States did not support imposing new nuclear-related sanctions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who leads the country's nuclear negotiating team, said on Tuesday low-level talks on its nuclear activities would resume in Geneva on Jan 15, with wide gaps remaining in their positions.

Iran says its program is peaceful; the West fears it may lead to developing nuclear weapons. Zarif has repeatedly urged the United States and its Western European allies to drop "unrealistic" demands to make it possible for the 12-year dispute to be resolved.

The "P5+1" reached a preliminary agreement with Iran last year for it to suspend its most sensitive nuclear activity. Western countries in turn eased some economic sanctions.

The two sides failed for a second time last month to meet a self-imposed deadline for ending the standoff. A preliminary accord was extended until June 30.

No US embassy in Iran for now, says Barack Obama

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Washington was not ready to open an embassy in Iran due to differences over nuclear policy, a position that contrasts with his new approach to Cuba.

"I never say never, but I think these things have to go in steps," Obama said in an interview with National Public Radio that aired Monday, regarding re-opening the long-shuttered US mission in Tehran.

Iran: Pressure continues on political prisoner Ali Moezi

NCRI – The authorities in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison continue to pressure and threaten political prisoner Ali Moezi.

Critically ill Ali Moezi, 63, a former prisoner of the 80’s, arrested in 2008 for visiting his two daughters in Camp Ashraf and spent 2 years in prison.

Mr Moezi was arrested once again in June 2011 for attending the funeral of a political prisoner supporter of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) who had died in prison due to being denied access to medical care.

The authorities have told Ali Moezi that they intend to bring new bogus charges against him to prevent his release after the end of his sentence period.

On numerous occasions, agents of Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) have told Mr. Moezi: “We will torture you to death in prison and you should not get out of prison alive.”

Mr. Moezi has refused to attend the regime’s courts that he considers unjust and all the past sentences have been issued without him being present.

Iranian Resistance repeatedly has called on human right organizations, particularly the UN High Commissioner for Human Right to take urgent measures to save Mr. Moezi.

UPDATE : U.S Doctor released from prison in East Timor

PORTLAND, Ore. -- It was the end of a nightmare.

A Portland woman, imprisoned in Timor Leste for months, is finally free, just in time for the holidays.

The simple snapshot, captured Christmas day outside the prison walls, is a declaration of freedom, one Bernadette Kero worried she would never see.

"My first reaction was to cry. Yeah, I couldn't believe it, I just was sobbing," she said via phone from her home in Klamath Falls.

It's been two months since Kero's daughter, Portland veterinarian Stacey Addison, was arrested and imprisoned in Timor Leste.

A painful journey has been documented on the Facebook page, "Help Stacey".

Her crime? Getting into a shared cab where another passenger was allegedly transporting meth.

It was an innocent mistake, but in this small, impoverished east Asian country, it was more than enough to place Addison's fate into question.

"When I read the story on Stacey, I thought how easily that could have been me," said Mary Wald.

Wald is president and founder of The Community, a group that works to solve international human rights disputes.

She said, based upon her experience, Addison is very lucky.

"I mean, I know a woman who ended up in jail in Singapore for losing her temper in an airport when they wouldn't let her on the plane," she said. "There are just some things you don't do in Asia."

Wald help bring Addison's story to the attention of Jose Ramos-Horta.

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize winner and former president of Timor Leste, Ramos-Horta was instrumental in negotiating Addison's release.

Now he and other policy makers are rejoicing, including Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, who called Addison's release "great Christmas news".

For Kero, that's putting it lightly.

"This is just, you know, the best Christmas present I could have had, other than her actually getting her passport and getting on the plane. This was second best," she said.

Addison is staying at the home of Ramos-Horta, but her ordeal is not finished. Her passport has not been returned.

You can share a petition to help make that happen and learn more by heading to the Facebook page.