DeSantis announces ‘strongest’ sanctions against Iran amid Hamas attacks  

SURFSIDE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he will be proposing strict sanctions against Iran to state lawmakers amid Hamas’ latest terror attacks on Israel, Iran purportedly behind the planning of them.

“We are going to rollout during the next legislative session a proposal to increase on Iran and to block Iranian business in our state,” DeSantis said.

“Our proposed legislation will of course reinforce Florida’s commitment that we don’t do business with state sponsors of terrorism just as Iran,” the governor continued.

Hamas, which is backed by Shi’ite Iran, has already contributed to the deaths of hundreds of individuals, including some reports of U.S. citizens. In defense of Israel, DeSantis vowed to punish Iran through Florida’s upcoming legislative session.

DeSantis vowed to eliminate Iranian entities including financial, construction, manufacturing, textile, technology, mining, mettle, shipping, ship building and port sectors.

He added that any state and local governments would be forbidden to contract with the businesses.

DeSantis called on both the president and Congress to “certify that Iran has stopped supporting international terrorism and seeking to require acquire weapons of mass destruction,” at which point sanctions could be lifted in the future.

The governor further scathed Washington for their initial response to the attack, including by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“There should be no response and then Blinken sent out a tweet calling for a cease fire in this situation,” DeSantis said, referring to Blinken’s comments in a now-deleted X post. “What? You get [a] massive terrorist attack and then you’re just supposed to sit there?”

DeSantis also denounced critics for blaming the Jewish state for the attack. The massacre was the largest cause of death since the Holocaust genocide during World War II, the governor said.

“There is no moral equivalence between Israel defending itself and Hamas terrorists committing atrocities against civilians,” DeSantis said. “And you can count on us here in Florida to be very clear about right and about wrong.”

On behalf of his wife, Casey DeSantis, the governor offered his condolences to those killed or missing during the attack.

“My wife and I are praying for the families of those killed or missing, particularly the at least 11 American citizens that have already been reported to be killed and we fear it could be many more and we do fear that there are Americans that could be potentially be held hostage right now,” DeSantis said.

Also as a sign of support for Israel, DeSantis ordered the Florida Capitol lit up blue and white, and ordered state flags be flown at half-staff until Friday, Oct. 13.