The White House and Congress raced to impose more punishing sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, July 31, with President Obama issuing an executive order intended to complement legislation that the House and Senate are scheduled to vote on this week,  The New York Times reported. The new sets of measures, which target Iran’s oil and petrochemical sectors as well as its shipping trade, intensify existing sanctions intended to choke off the revenue that Iran reaps from its two largest export industries. These latest sanctions, like previous measures against Iran, have drawn lopsided bipartisan support in Congress. Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program are at a standstill after several months, leaving many lawmakers frustrated and administration officials conceding that the pressure campaign has not persuaded Iran’s leaders to change course.