The West must ensure it does not agree a weak nuclear deal with the Iranian regime, which has ‘no intention’ of abandoning its quest for a nuclear bomb, the US House of Representatives has been told.
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation and Trade, also branded Iran the biggest sponsor of state terrorism since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
She told the House: “As each day passes and we get closer to the impending deadline, we are presented with more and more evidence that Iran is not serious about abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
“Iran has been a US-designated State Sponsor of Terrorism since 1984 and has been the foremost supporter for terrorist groups across the world since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
“Through its proxies likes Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran has targeted America and our ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel, with violent acts of terror for over three decades.”
She added: “Tehran continues to demand that it has a right to enrich its own uranium. After operating a covert nuclear program for decades, Iran forfeited any so-called right to enrichment. Yet the centrifuges continue to spin and President Obama has seemingly acquiesced to Iran’s illegitimate claim to enrichment.
“The regime in Tehran also maintains an advanced ballistic missile program, a program that just this week it used to threaten Israel and US military bases in the Middle East.
“Iran also remains one of the world’s worst human rights violators… and has executed a record number of people under so-called President Rouhani.
“And despite all of this clear and indisputable evidence that Iran is led by a dangerous regime that cannot be trusted, these misguided negotiations taking place right now focus solely on Tehran’s illicit nuclear program, and none of it is based on its other illicit activities.”
She said the US President and the P5+1 countries were continuing as if Iran’s nuclear program ‘exists in a vacuum’ and hence risking stability of the Middle East and security of many of us in the West.
She added: “There is every reason to believe that these negotiations are just one big ploy by the Iranian regime, and the Obama administration has fallen for it. That is why it is up to us in Congress to be the counterbalance.
“That is why we must take action to ensure that the administration does not agree to a weak and bad nuclear deal, and we must not waver in our resolve.
“Unless the negotiations result in agreement that ends Iran’s other illicit activities and ensures that Iran will stop all enrichment and will dismantle its nuclear infrastructure, then we must act to impose and strengthen and expand sanctions against the regime, and the administration must walk away and abandon these foolish and dangerous talks.”
