Omar rips Trump on new Iran sanctions: ‘This is not a measured response’

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Wednesday condemned President Trump’s decision to impose further economic sanctions on Iran, saying that the move was not a “measured response” in the wake of escalating tensions in the Middle East. 

During a public address from the White House, Trump announced that the U.S. would implement “punishing” sanctions on the Iranian government as it evaluated a response to Tehran’s overnight missile attack on Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops. The attack followed a U.S. airstrike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, one of the most powerful officials in Iran and the leader of its elite Quds Force. 

Trump said that no American lives were lost in the Iranian attacks and added that Iran appeared to “be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”

“As we continue to evaluate options and response to Iranian aggression, the United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime,” Trump said. “These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior.”

Omar, who has been outspoken on the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, argued on Twitter that sanctions are “economic warfare” that make “no sense.”

“They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran,” she said. “You cannot claim to want deescalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response!”

This makes no sense. Sanctions are economic warfare.

They have already caused medical shortages and countless deaths in Iran.

You cannot claim to want deescalation and then announce new sanctions with no clear goal. This is not a measured response! https://t.co/sGWtwXuNDT

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 8, 2020

Trump in 2017 withdrew the United States from the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed all of the economic sanctions it had waived as part of the accord. He has since called for European allies still sticking to the agreement to abandon the deal and devise a new pact. 

The administration has not offered any additional details on what new sanctions it will impose. 

Despite the easing of tensions, several Democratic lawmakers have pushed for voting on a resolution that would curtail Trump’s war powers.

Omar and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) on Sunday announced a resolution to invoke the War Powers Act to withdraw U.S. troops from hostilities with Iranian-backed forces that has not been approved by Congress; however, the U.S. would not be prevented from responding to an attack under the proposed resolution.