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U.S. NEWS A3
Thursday 7 April 2016
GOP senators seek to block proposal on Iran dollar rules
MATTHEW LEE ing system for transactions
AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) Two involving the government
Republican senators op-
posed to the Iran nuclear of Iran or an Iranian per-
deal are trying to block an
Obama administration pro- son” or “provide United
posal that would ease rules
on using U.S. dollars in trade States dollars for any off-
transactions with Iran.
Marco Rubio and Mark Kirk shore United States dollar
introduced legislation on
Wednesday that would clearing system conduct-
bar the Treasury from per-
mitting foreign banks to ed or overseen by a for-
conduct foreign currency
trades in U.S. dollars for eign government or a for-
transactions involving Iran.
A copy of the bill was ob- eign financial institution for
tained by The Associated
Press. transactions involving the
The bill would expressly for-
bid Treasury from issuing government of Iran or an
any license that would al-
low anyone Iranian person.”
“to conduct an offshore Administration officials
United States dollar clear-
have denied they are con-
sidering giving Iran direct
access to dollars or to the
U.S. financial system as part
nuclear sanctions relief, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., right, speaks with Sen. Marco
Rubio, R-Fla., on Capitol Hill in Washington, during the committee’s hearing on recent Iranian ac-
but have left open the pos- tions and implementation of the nuclear deal.
sibility of easing some rules (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
on the indirect use of dollars
for transactions with Iran as sury has prepared a gen- support of legitimate busi- in July provided Iran with
eral license that would per- nesswith Iran. billions of dollars in sanc-
long as they did not involve mit offshore financial insti- A pact agreed to by the tions relief for curtailing pro-
tutions to conduct foreign United States, grams that could lead to
U.S. or Iranian banks. currency trades in dollars in Iran and five other powers nuclear weapons. q
The Associated Press re-
ported last week that Trea-
Kerry breaks record for miles
traveled by secretary of state
BRADLEY KLAPPER cratic presidential nomi-
Associated Press nee has spent more than
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — 2,300 hours — or 96 days —
John Kerry is now the most in the air since becoming
traveled secretary of state secretary of state in Feb-
in U.S. history, breaking the ruary 2013. He has spent
record as he arrived in the parts of 467 different days
Middle East kingdom of on his well-worn govern-
Bahrain on Wednesday. ment plane.
The trip pushed Kerry past One record eludes Kerry
1.06 million miles as Ameri- still: Clinton’s 112 countries
ca’s top diplomat, narrow- visited on the job.
ly beating Condoleezza Having shuttled regularly
Rice by about 1,000 miles. between several favorite
Rice, who was secretary destinations — including
of state under President Paris, London and Jerusa-
George W. Bush, held the lem — Kerry had only been
previous mark with 1.059 to 80 countries.
million miles. Bahrain makes 81.
Kerry eclipsed Hillary Clin- Kerry’s visit to the capital
ton’s mileage tally in De- of Manama is the first by
cember. With 10 months an American secretary of
left before a new president state since demonstrations
takes office, Kerry is show- by the kingdom’s Shiite
ing no signs of tempering majority in 2011. Saudi and
his hectic travel schedule. Emirati troops helped put
He flew to the Mideast on down the protests, though
Tuesday from New York discontent continues. Hu-
after attending an energy man rights groups chastise
conference, stopping in Bahrain’s Sunni rulers for
Ireland to refuel. He plans repression and discrimina-
to visit Japan later in the tion. Kerry will raise human
week. With no immediate rights concerns when he
plans to leave the State meets top officials from
Department, Kerry could Bahrain and the Persian
easily pad his new record Gulf region’s other Sun-
by hundreds of thousands ni monarchies countries
of miles before departing Thursday. But the focus will
government. be on battling the Islamic
The former Massachusetts State and shared concerns
senator and former Demo- over Iran.q
