Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Obama signs law against Iran's influence in Latin America

Obama signs law against Iran's influence in Latin America

President Barack Obama enacted a law Friday to counter Iran's alleged influence in Latin America, through a new diplomatic and political strategy to be designed by the State Department. The Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act, passed by lawmakers earlier this year, calls for the State Department to develop a strategy within 180 days to "address Iran's growing hostile presence and activity" in the region. Although the strategy is confidential and only accessible to lawmakers, it must contain a public summary. The text also calls on the Department of Homeland Security to bolster surveillance at US borders with Canada and Mexico to "prevent operatives from Iran, the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps), its Quds Force, Hezbollah or any other terrorist organization from entering the Untied States." And within Latin American countries, the text provides for a multiagency action plan to provide security in those countries, along with a "counterterrorism and counter-radicalization plan" to isolate Iran and its allies.