Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that he will be increasing sanctions against Iranian businesses in support of Israel.
The Iranian government has maintained that they did not supply Hamas with military aid or intelligence for the attack on Israel, which began on Saturday.
More than 1,600 people have now died across both sides in the conflict.
DeSantis was with leaders of the Jewish community at the Shul of Bal Harbour synagogue when he announced his plan for increased sanctions.
“We shall use all available means to choke off money going to the Iranian regime,” DeSantis said.
“Our proposed legislation will of course reinforce Florida’s commitment that we don’t do business with state sponsors of terrorism such as Iran,” he continued.
“It’s going to expand the prohibition on state investment in Iranian businesses to include the financial, construction, manufacturing, textile, technology, mining, metals, shipping, shipbuilding and port sectors.” Governor Ron DeSantis announces new proposed statewide sanctions against Iran.
"These will be, by far, the strongest Iran sanctions that any state has enacted of all 50 states throughout this country." pic.twitter.com/n80Dm1LYNG
— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) October 10, 2023
DeSantis said that he will not lift the sanctions until Congress certifies that Iran has stopped trying to "acquire weapons of mass destruction."
“We’re gonna prohibit state and local governments from contracting with any company on this expanded sectors list, and we will not lift the sanctions until both the president and the U.S. Congress certify that Iran has stopped supporting international terrorism and seeking to … acquire weapons of mass destruction,” DeSantis said.
According to a statement released by DeSantis' office, "Since 2019, Governor DeSantis has supported Israel, including leading two trade delegations to Israel, enacting historic legislation to combat antisemitism, prohibiting Florida investment in companies that discriminate against Israel, and signing legislation to prohibit foreign countries of concern from owning agricultural land or real estate near critical infrastructure or from operating schools in Florida."
“Our administration stands with Israel and its people, and we will never prop up countries that support vile and hate-filled terrorist groups like Hamas,” said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez in a statement. “Instead, we pledge to ensure that the special bond between Florida and Israel remains unmatched and stronger than ever.”
The proposal builds on a law DeSantis signed in May that restricts property that can be owned in the state by people who are citizens of China, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Russia, North Korea and Iran. He is currently being sued over the law by a group of Chinese citizens who are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The ACLU said that the law “will codify and expand housing discrimination against people of Asian descent in violation of the Constitution and the Fair Housing Act” and “will also cast an undue burden of suspicion on anyone seeking to buy property whose name sounds remotely Asian, Russian, Iranian, Cuban, Venezuelan, or Syrian.”
