Obama threatens to veto bill targeting Iran's leaders

The White House warns that the proposed legislation would force suspect dealings further into the shadows

WASHINGTON: The White House on Wednesday said President Barack Obama would veto congressional measures to reveal the assets of Iran's leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, if a bill came to his desk.

Warning that the proposed legislation would force suspect dealings further into the shadows, the White House said Obama's top advisors would recommend he veto.

"Producing this information could also compromise intelligence sources and methods," the White House said in a statement.



The measures would target the Iran's supreme leader, it's president and a raft of individuals linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Quds force and the powerful Basij paramilitary group.

The bill's sponsor, Representative Bruce Poliquin, has argued that the measures would help show the world how Iran "facilitates human rights abuse through funding pilfered from the Iranian people."