Tasnim) � Prominent Iranian cleric Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani decried the US Senate�s recent move to approve a sanctions bill targeting the Islamic Republic and urged officials to take a �reciprocal� measure.





Addressing a gathering of Basij (volunteer) forces in the central city of Qom on Saturday, Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani underlined that the US government by nature is involved in acts of �bullying, committing crimes, betraying and plundering.�

�We all witnessed how the (US) Senate violates the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),� the cleric said, adding that the Americans never respect other countries� rights.

He further called on the Iranian officials not to remain silent on the issue and said they should take a reciprocal measure to safeguard the country�s dignity.

On Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill that would step up sanctions against Iran and Russia. The measure, passed by a vote of 98 to 2, includes new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program and alleged �continued support for terrorism.�

In order for the new Senate bill to become law, it must still pass the US House of Representatives and be signed by President Donald Trump.

Many experts have slammed the hostile move as a breach of both the text and the spirit of the JCPOA.

Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France, and Germany) on July 14, 2015, reached a conclusion over the text of the JCPOA. The accord took effect in January 2016 and was supposed to terminate all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran all at once, but its implementation has been hampered mainly due to US policies.