News

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced a resolution today regarding the recent nuclear negotiations with Iran, resolving that current sanctions against the country must be continued and that additional sanctions should be put in place until Tehran completely abandons its nuclear weapons program.

 “No one should be impressed by what Iran appears to have brought to the table in Geneva. As the United States and the P5+1 continue negotiations with Iran next month, it is time to acknowledge that Tehran has broken its word far too many times to be trusted,” said Rubio. “Due to its complete disregard for previous international agreements, we must take a firm stand in all negotiations regarding the nuclear capabilities Iran is permitted to retain. We must make clear to Iran that the only way sanctions related to their nuclear program will be lifted is if they agree to completely abandon any capability for enrichment or reprocessing. I hope the entire Senate will unite behind this effort to make clear to Iran that the sanctions that have brought them to the negotiating table will only be strengthened should Iran remain unwilling to completely end its nuclear program, including enrichment and reprocessing, and provide information about its work on weaponization of a nuclear device.”

 A copy of the resolution is available here. The resolution introduced today resolves that:

• It shall be the policy of the United States that Iran will not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that all instruments of American power and influence remain on the table to prevent this outcome.
• Iran does not have an absolute or inherent right to enrichment and reprocessing technologies under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; therefore it must completely abandon these capabilities.
• Sanctions against Iran related to their nuclear program should only be relieved once Iran has completely abandoned its nuclear weapons program including any enrichment or reprocessing capability and has provided complete transparency to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
• Congress should move to adopt additional sanctions until Iran has demonstrably abandoned its nuclear weapons program, including any enrichment or reprocessing capability, and has provided complete transparency to the International Atomic Energy Agency.