Chanting "Death to America," Iran's parliament voted unanimously yesterday to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, part of a sanctions bill mirroring a new US law
Iran's parliament approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country’s missile programme and foreign operations. Representation pic/AFP
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Chanting "Death to America," Iran's parliament voted unanimously yesterday to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, part of a sanctions bill mirroring a new US law targeting the country.
"The Americans should know that this was our first action," said parliament speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing overwhelming support for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region".
After the result was announced, lawmakers shouted: "Death to America." A total of 240 parliamentarians out of 244 present voted for the bill. It mandates the government to allocate an additional $260 million for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said. The Quds Force leads Iran's military role in Syria and Iraq.
The vote came after the United States imposed fresh US sanctions against Iran in July, targeting its missile programme. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the bill passed on Sunday had the support of the government. The bill is "very smart particularly because it doesn't violate the nuclear deal and doesn't allow the other side to make excuses," he said, adding, "Iran boasts potential and actual options to confront hostile US actions".
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