WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Ashley Moody, along with 49 senate colleagues, is applauding Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Johann Wadephul, German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yvette Cooper, British Secretary of State for initiating snapback sanctions on Iran. Senator Moody and the cohort also is urging the European leaders to sustain this economic pressure until permanent dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program is achieved.
Senator Ashley Moody said, “Iran’s nuclear threats, its malicious ballistic missile attacks, and support for terrorism threaten the entire international community. I commend the actions of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany for initiating snapback sanctions against Iran, and join my colleagues in urging these nations to keep economic pressure on Iran to ensure the permanent dismantlement of its nuclear program.”
In a letter sent to the European leaders, Senator Moody and colleagues write, “While we back diplomatic efforts to restore Iran’s compliance with its International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commitments, the international community should not allow hollow gestures and threats from Tehran to stop the snapback process. The regime has abused diplomatic processes for years to avoid penalties. Sanctions relief should only be negotiated after the snapback is fully implemented. The regime must fully and verifiably dismantle its nuclear program, restore full IAEA access, terminate its support for international terror proxies, and end its ballistic missile program – at a minimum.”
The lawmakers continued, “In light of the soon-returning international sanctions, we need joint interdiction efforts to prevent Iranian proliferation and acquisition of military, missile, and nuclear goods, technologies, and components. In line with returning UN obligations, we hope you will help us fully shutter Iran’s banking sector abroad, including by closing all branches in Europe.”
The lawmakers concluded, “More pressure is necessary to ultimately bring Iran back to meaningful and serious diplomatic engagement on the full spectrum of its malign activities.
Joining Senator Moody in signing the letter are: Senate Republican Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Curtis (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Shelley Capito (R-W. Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dan Sullivan (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Jim Justice (R-W. Va.), and Jon Husted (R-Ohio).
Full text of the letter can be found here.
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