Iran condemns U.S. Senate's approval of 14-bln-USD aid package for Israel

TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Sunday denounced the U.S. Senate for approving a 14-billion-U.S.-dollar aid package for Israel, which he said would enable more Israeli killings in the Gaza Strip.

Kanaani made the comments on social media platform X, in response to the bill passed on Feb. 13 by the U.S. Senate for security assistance to Israel.

He said the U.S. Senate's decision, funded by American taxpayers, showed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its government would receive 100 million dollars a day from the United States for "killing innocent Palestinian civilians."

The U.S. Senate passed the bill by 70 votes to 29. It included 14 billion dollars in security assistance to Israel, among other things.

The U.S. Senate's move has faced widespread criticism at home, with opponents saying the money could be spent on domestic needs rather than weapons, and expressing concern over the death toll in Gaza.

It is unclear whether the bill will pass, as some conservative Republicans in the U.S. House have vowed to stop it.