FDD Welcomes Bipartisan Senate Sanctions Bill Against Iran

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON — In an effort to hold Iran accountable to the nuclear agreement it reached last month in Geneva with the P5+1 countries, a bipartisan group of senators has introduced a new contingency-based sanctions bill.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced the bill with the intention to prevent the Iranian regime from achieving nuclear breakout capability and increase the administration’s leverage in the negotiations with Iran. The bill gives the Administration the flexibility it needs to pursue a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear crisis and the verifiable and complete dismantlement of Iran’s illicit nuclear weapons program.

According to FDD’s Executive Director Mark Dubowitz, “The new bill is a sanctions-in-waiting, insurance policy that demonstrates to Iran that it will suffer significantly if it cheats on its nuclear commitments, engages in terrorist or ballistic missile activities, or does not move expeditiously to dismantle its military-nuclear program. If Iran cheats or walks away from the table, and the new sanctions are imposed, Iran’s economy will suffer significantly.”

The bill outlines a set of criteria that, at minimum, must be included in any final agreement with Iran. These criteria include the dismantling of Iran’s illicit nuclear infrastructure, bringing Iran into compliance with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and authorizing frequent IAEA inspection of all relevant facilities.

“This bill will be of real value to Treasury Undersecretary David Cohen, Washington’s sanctions czar, who can now make it clear to international companies that new sanctions await them if they test the existing sanctions regime and return to business with Iran. That’s now a bet few companies will want to take,” said FDD’s vice president for research Jonathan Schanzer, a former analyst at the U.S. Treasury. “The bill will also serve as a warning to Tehran not to cheat on its Geneva commitments.”

For more information or to speak with FDD experts, please contact Madeleine Levey Lambert at [email protected] or 202-403-2941.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a non-profit, non-partisan policy institute working to defend free nations against their enemies. FDD was founded shortly after 9/11 by a group of visionary philanthropists and policymakers who understood the threat facing America, Israel and the West.