The US Congress’s latest anti-Iran embargos prompted a counter-measure by Iranian legislators. They overwhelmingly approved a motion denying visas to American military and intelligence forces as well as freezing their bank accounts. 

The Iranian parliamentarians also voted to increase spending on the national missile program as well as the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’s defense mechanism. Press TV has asked Jim W. Dean, managing editor of the Veterans Today from Atlanta, and Michael Lane, founder of the American Institute for Foreign Policy from Washington, to give their thoughts on Iran’s response to American sanctions.

Jim Dean said the Islamic Republic of Iran is the first state, which has targeted the United States over its involvement in terrorist acts in the Middle East.

According to the commentator, the most important aspect of the Iranian sanctions on the United States is that this is the first time that a major country has sanctioned American individuals and companies for being involved in terrorism.

“This is the first time that someone has officially sanctioned US entities for direct support for terrorism in the Mideast,” he said.

Even though the imposition of economic sanctions is not going to have a major impact on American authorities, the move is a prelude to telling the world who is really aiding and abetting terrorist factions, Dean added.

Iranians have taken a “very measured response” to US sanctions and this is kind of an “opening shot” with spending more money on missiles and defense, he explained.  

An Iranian parliamentary committee has also been tasked with monitoring moves by the US administration and Congress and proposing appropriate reciprocal measures to the Majlis (parliament).

The analyst further called for imposing sanctions on more countries that sponsor terrorism, including NATO member states as well as the Israeli regime, because the public needs to become aware of who is really supporting terrorists.

Dean also censured US President Donald Trump for labeling Iran as the sponsor of terrorism and the “biggest destabilizing force” in the Mideast, when certain Persian Gulf states, the US and Israel have in fact been supporting terrorism for years.