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Seventy-Six Senators Urge Obama to Renew Urgency on Iranian Nuclear Program

Letter to the President endorses tougher sanctions and a credible military threat to accompany dialogue with Iran; authored by Senators Menendez, Graham, Casey, Blunt, Kaine and Ayotte

WASHINGTON, DC – Seventy-six U.S. Senators called for tougher sanctions against Iran in a bipartisan letter sent to President Obama.

The letter was circulated by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bob Casey (D-PA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH).

In their letter to President Obama, the 76 Senators write: “But until we see a significant slowdown of Iran’s nuclear activities, we believe our nation must toughen sanctions and reinforce the credibility of our option to use military force at the same time as we fully explore a diplomatic solution to our dispute with Iran.”

The letter appears below and here.

August 2, 2013

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President:

With the election of Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian people signaled their clear dissatisfaction with Iran’s government and its policies. We hope such a surprising and convincing electoral outcome will persuade Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to abandon Iran’s nuclear weapons quest. But until we see a significant slowdown of Iran’s nuclear activities, we believe our nation must toughen sanctions and reinforce the credibility of our option to use military force at the same time as we fully explore a diplomatic solution to our dispute with Iran. 

We deeply sympathize with the plight of the Iranian people, who have suffered under the Khamenei regime. We note that President-elect Rouhani has pledged re-engagement with the P5+1 and promised to bring transparency to Iran’s nuclear program. At the same time, Iran has used negotiations in the past to stall for time, and in any event, Khamenei is the ultimate decision-maker for Iran’s nuclear program. Moreover, Iran today continues its large-scale installation of advanced centrifuges. This will soon put it in the position to be able to rapidly produce weapons-grade uranium, bringing Tehran to the brink of a nuclear weapons capability.

Accordingly, Mr. President, we urge you to bring a renewed sense of urgency to the process. We need to understand quickly whether Tehran is at last ready to negotiate seriously. Iran needs to understand that the time for diplomacy is nearing its end. We implore you to demand immediate serious moves on Iran’s part. Iran should move quickly toward compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding it suspend enrichment. Iran must cease installing centrifuges, agree to the removal of 20 percent enriched uranium from Iran, and cease work on the heavy water reactor being built in Arak.

We believe there are four strategic elements necessary to achieve resolution of this issue: an explicit and continuing message that we will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, a sincere demonstration of openness to negotiations, the maintenance and toughening of sanctions, and a convincing threat of the use of force that Iran will believe. We must be prepared to act, and Iran must see that we are prepared. 

Mr. President, we share your conviction that Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.  We want you to know that you will have our support in doing all you can to resolve on an urgent basis this most pressing challenge to international security.

Sincerely,

Senator Robert Menendez                                                                             

Senator Lindsey Graham

Senator Robert P. Casey Jr.                                                                           

Senator Roy Blunt

Senator Tim Kaine                                                                             

Senator Kelly Ayotte

List of Cosigners (76)

1. Menendez

2. Graham

3. Ayotte

4. Blunt

5. Kaine

6. Casey

7. Boozman

8. Crapo

9. Flake

10. Ron Johnson

11. Burr

12. Manchin

13. Roberts

14. Grassley

15. Moran

16. Cornyn

17. Inhofe

18. Hoeven

19. Isakson

20. Begich

21. Coons

22. Cardin

23. Hatch

24. Wicker

25. Murray

26. Hagan

27. Mikulski

28. Fischer

29. Lee

30. Thune

31. Risch

32. Collins

33. Portman

34. Schatz

35. Stabenow

36. Cruz

37. Rubio

38. Schumer

39. Markey

40. Donnelly

41. Nelson

42. Heller

43. Pryor

44. Coats

45. Gillibrand

46. Bennet

47. Vitter

48. Chambliss

49. Enzi

50. McCaskill

51. Barrasso

52. Toomey

53. McConnell

54. Brown

55. Warner

56. Reed

57. Blumenthal

58. Hirono

59. Cochran

60. Shaheen

61. Whitehouse

62. Scott

63. King

64. Cantwell

65. Merkley

66. Klobuchar

67. Johanns

68. Franken

69. Sessions

70. Landrieu

71. Alexander

72. McCain

73. Chiesa

74. Heitkamp

75. Murphy

76. Warren