Fifty Senate Republicans wrote to the foreign ministers of the UK, France and Germany, urging them to press ahead with the reinstatement of United Nations sanctions on Iran, Jewish Insider reported on Wednesday.
“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 cynical threats from Tehran to stop the snapback process,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Sanctions relief should only be negotiated after snapback is fully implemented.”
The letter, led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, said that dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, restoring full IAEA inspections and halting Tehran’s support for proxy groups and ballistic missiles should be the “minimum” bar for any relief.
The senators called for the closure of Iranian banks in Europe and tougher action against oil sales to China, arguing that “closing off the regime’s financial pathways will curb the regime’s aggression.” They thanked the E3 for their “leadership” in triggering the mechanism.
The appeal comes after EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Wednesday that “the window for finding a diplomatic solution” was closing fast. Germany also said Tehran has yet to take the “reasonable and precise actions necessary” to extend the UN resolution underpinning the 2015 nuclear deal.
Under the process, UN sanctions on Iran will automatically return by late September unless the Security Council votes otherwise.
