President Obama signed a bill into law that includes key provisions to increase sanctions on Iran over its illicit nuclear weapons program and to support Israel’s right to self-defense.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 includes provisions that increase sanctions on the Iranian energy sector and seeks to close major loopholes in existing law that have allowed Iran to circumvent financial sanctions by bartering oil for precious metals. The provisions were originally authored by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

The legislation also authorizes key funding for Israeli missile defense programs, including the Iron Dome rocket defense system. This system saved countless Israelis when it intercepted more than 400 rockets fired by terrorists in Gaza in November 2012.