SENATE VOTES TO STRENGTHEN SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN The Senate voted Thursday night to strengthen existing sanctions against Iran and impose new ones aimed at its gasoline supplies as part of the U.S. effort to dissuade Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons and cracking down on internal dissent, AP reports. According to the source, the measure would extend sanctions to oil and gas pipelines and tankers and impose new sanctions on imports to Iran of certain refined petroleum products. It also would expand sanctions to cover a range of financial institutions and businesses; impose a broad ban on direct imports from Iran to the U.S. and exports from the U.S. to Iran, exempting food and medicines, and require the Obama administration to freeze the assets of Iranians, including Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, who are active in weapons proliferation or terrorism. Senate and House negotiators now must work out differences between the Senate bill and a similar measure already passed by the House. A final bill, once passed by both chambers, would be sent to President Barack Obama for his signature. | 
