It's now been a year since the Obama administration announced their plans for the naive Iranian nuclear deal. Despite multiple warnings about how Iran would not comply with the legislation, the White House moved forward with the signatures and, as expected, Iran has not been a cooperative partner as they promised. For instance, they have reportedly continued their ballistic missile program, even just as recently as this past week, and have been uncooperative when it comes to American officials wanting to inspect their nuclear facilities.
This context justifies the need for the Iran Sanctions Act. The legislation, introduced this week on a bipartisan basis by Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Bob Corker (R-TN), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Joe Manchin (D-WV), would expand sanctions for ballistic missile development, support for terrorism, sanction transfers of conventional weapons to or from Iran and codify the prohibition on “U-turn” transactions involving Iran, according to a press release from Sen. Sullivan's office.
“Since its signing, we’ve seen attempt after attempt by the Iranian regime to undermine, circumvent or blatantly disregard the conditions they agreed to exactly one year ago. Ignoring clear violations of the deal without reproach only emboldens the regime to act further. For the sake of U.S. national security and the global fight against terrorism, Congress must act when the Obama administration is not prepared to. That is why I am pleased to have worked with my colleagues on a bill that recognizes that the Iranian threat still exists.”
Three other measures to rein in Iranian aggression passed last week. The U.S. Financial System Protection Act (H.R. 4992) prevents Iran from gaining access to the U.S. financial system and GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s Iran Accountability Act of 2016 (H.R. 5631) will impose new sanctions on Iran in response to its continued illegal development of ballistic missiles. The No Heavy Water From Act would stop the U.S. from purchasing Iran's heavy water.
In other news, a resolution has been introduced demanding Iran release Iranian-Americans who were jailed without proper cause.