FDD Applauds Senators Casey and Brown for New Iran Sanctions Act

Press Release

December 3, 2010

CONTACT:

Judy Mayka

202-621-3948
[email protected]

FDD Applauds Senators Casey and Brown for New Iran Sanctions Act

Washington, D.C. (December 3, 2010) The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) applauds Senators Robert Casey (D-Pa.) and Scott Brown (R-Ma.) for proposing bipartisan legislation to end Iran’s nuclear program. The Stop Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program Act would deny the Iranian regime critical funding by ratcheting up the pressure on its energy sector. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Ca.) introduced comparable legislation in the House of Representatives.

“A nuclear Iran would threaten the U.S. and its allies around the world,” said Mark Dubowitz, FDD’s Executive Director and director of its Iran Energy Project. “Senators Casey and Brown and Rep. Sherman deserve praise for their hard work to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon. These bills fill important loopholes in sanctions laws and, most importantly, begin to target the Iranian regime’s oil exports, the greatest source of its wealth. The Obama administration and Congress need to ratchet up the pressure on this critical Iranian lifeline.”

The legislation would build on the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act passed in July 2010, by targeting long-term purchase agreements of oil and nature gas and cash payments for oil and natural gas deliveries. It includes other important measures complicating Iran’s ability to issue sovereign debt, encouraging an expedited campaign to designate front companies belong to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and measures to punish the U.S. parent entity for the activities of a foreign subsidiary that would violate current U.S. sanctions.

To book an interview or for more information on the Foundation for Defense of Democracies please contact Judy Mayka at (202) 621-3948 or [email protected].

###

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is a non-profit, non-partisan policy institute dedicated exclusively to promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that drive terrorism. Founded shortly after the attacks of 9/11, FDD combines policy research, democracy and counterterrorism education, strategic communications, and investigative journalism in support of its mission. For more information, please visit www.defenddemocracy.org.