Congress: Divided on New Sanctions

 

            “This latest extension of sanctions relief for Iran violates the president’s promises to the American people. First, he said the sanctions relief provided to Iran would be 'limited' and 'temporary.' With the extension, that relief appears to have become limitless and permanent.

            “Second, in announcing this framework last year, President Obama said that if Iran did not seize the opportunity given to it, Iran would 'face growing pressure.' He reiterated this position in the State of the Union address last January.”

            “President Obama admitted as recently as November 5 that the sanctions regime brought Iran to the negotiating table over its nuclear program. Increased sanctions will only make a favorable final agreement more likely. Sanctions relief has certainly failed to produce one.

            “Now is the time for President Obama to implement his own stated policy: that he would be the first to call for more sanctions if Iran rejected the diplomatic overtures offered it. He should call on Congress to send him a bill imposing increased sanctions on Iran before departing for the year, and Congress should deliver it. Barring that, it should be an early order of business for the next Congress in January.

            “President Obama has taken enough time trying to talk Iran out of its illicit nuclear program. After six years, it is clear that Iran has no interest in seizing the opportunity given to it. The president has extended his hand many times to Iran, including writing to the country’s Supreme Leader privately no less than four times. Instead of breaking yet another promise to the American people, President Obama should respond appropriately to Iran’s clenched fist and work with Congress to increase sanctions.”

 

            "We have supported the economic sanctions, passed by Congress and signed into law by the president, in addition to sanctions placed on Iran by the international community. These sanctions have had a negative impact on the Iranian economy and are one of the chief reasons the Iranians are now at the negotiating table. However, we believe this latest extension of talks should be coupled with increased sanctions and a requirement that any final deal between Iran and the United States be sent to Congress for approval.”

            Nov. 24, 2014 in a statement

            “Today's announcement means that the Administration will continue to block sanctions and allow the terror-sponsoring Iranian regime to make $700 million a month—roughly $23 million per day—even as Iran advances its nuclear bomb-making program and sparks an arms race in the Middle East. Now more than ever, it’s critical that Congress enacts sanctions that give Iran’s mullahs no choice but to dismantle their illicit nuclear program and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency full and unfettered access to assure the international community’s security."

            “One thing that could change Tehran’s resistance to agreeing to a meaningful and effective agreement to keep it from developing a nuclear weapon is more economic pressure.  Since the beginning of these negotiations, the Administration aggressively opposed Congressional attempts to give our negotiators more leverage with added sanctions, to go into force should negotiations fail.  We’ll never know if that prospect would have made a difference over the past 12 months.  But we do know that talks haven’t succeeded without more pressure.”

            “This seven month extension should be used to tighten the economic vice on Tehran – already suffering from falling energy prices - to force the concessions that Iran has been resisting.”

            “The wheels seem to be coming off of the Administration’s Iran strategy.  There are now multiple reports that Iran has violated its commitment to freeze its nuclear program.  These include two separate reports that it was testing and operating centrifuges in violation of the interim agreement.  And today’s report is that Iran is trying to illicitly acquire components for its ‘plutonium bomb factory’ at Arak.  This regime is proving to be a determined cheater, showing no willingness to accept an effective verification regime.  Despite Iran’s deceit and intransigence, the Administration’s optimistic talk goes on.  We are on our second negotiations extension.  Iran is not addressing our fundamental verification and enrichment concerns.  It is well beyond time for more sanctions pressure.”

 

            “With so much riding on these talks for the security of our nation and that of the region, Congress must have the opportunity to weigh in before implementation of any final agreement and begin preparing alternatives, including tougher sanctions, should negotiations fail.”

 

Senior Member of the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)

            “Secretary Kerry has said that it would be unwise to walk away from the interim agreement now, since the breakout time has been expanded. This may be true, but it could equally be said seven months from now if no deal is reached then, and at a certain point we may have to acknowledge that Iran is simply unwilling to negotiate away its nuclear program. If that point is now, or seven months from now, it will be critically important for the imposition and cohesion of new sanctions that the other nations in the P5+1 know that the United States made every effort to succeed in a negotiated resolution."

            "I think the adults in Congress need to step in early in the new year [to reimpose sanctions]."

            Dec. 3, 2014 according to the press

           

            “As long as talks continue under these conditions, it is important that the United States not be responsible for a breakdown in negotiations, which is why I believe it would be unwise for Congress to pass new sanctions legislation at this time. Iran has adhered to its commitments under the interim agreement. Imposing new sanctions now would be a violation of that agreement by the United States, opening the door for Iran to retaliate by resuming uranium enrichment to 20%, adding new and advanced centrifuges, or other dangerous and escalatory measures.”

 

            “Many in Congress will see this as the end of the road, the signal to toughen up already crippling sanctions. That would be the wrong move, a slap in the face to a year's worth of hard fought and honest negotiations by U.S. diplomats. Worse still, it could prompt Iran to drive its nuclear program back under ground, bringing us right back to the perilous situation we were faced with one year ago.”

 

            “It is clear that sanctions are having an effect, and that the economic impact has brought Iran to the negotiating table in a real way.  We should continue to pursue this path and not forget that the President has assembled a rare level of international cooperation. The European Union has put in place forceful sanctions.  China, India and South Korea are all cutting back on oil purchases from Iran or making it harder for Iran to profit.  The world has united to isolate the Iranian regime, which cannot be lost on those making decisions in Tehran.  We should allow the time and space to see if negotiations can work.”

 

            “Members of Congress are right to remain vigilant about ensuring Iran’s full and substantiated compliance with any final deal.  Anything less is non-negotiable.  But we ought to refrain from taking premature legislative action during these final months that could permanently derail negotiations, undermine the tough multilateral sanctions on Iran, and lead the regime to restart the unrestricted and unmonitored nuclear program that we are determined to end,”

 

            “I think it would be a mistake to push [Iran] away from the table [by imposing new sanctions].”

 

            Existing sanctions have "frozen [Iran's nuclear] program. It's given us a shot for a peaceful solution...I tell you, I think it's a less than even shot but it's a shot, nonetheless."

            "This is not the time to risk a breakdown [by imposing new sanctions] when we still have a chance at a breakthrough."

            Dec. 6, 2014 at a Middle East forum hosted by the Brookings Institution