Majority of US House Calls for Increased Efforts to Stop Iranian Nuclear Weapons

More than half of the US House of Representatives urged President Joe Biden to take a more aggressive approach to the nuclear program pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“The United States must increase its efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability and to communicate to Iran, without any ambiguity, that any further progress in its nuclear program will result in severe consequences,” 249 lawmakers, including 110 Democrats and 139 Republicans, said in a letter sent on June 23 and obtained by Jewish Insider.

“Iran cannot be allowed to advance its nuclear program with impunity,” they added.

The letter, which was promoted by AIPAC, the pro-Israel AIPAC lobby in Washington, makes no mention of negotiations or potential settlements with Tehran. 

It urges the Biden administration to work with European partners to prepare to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran if the Islamic Republic enriches uranium to 90 percent purity.

“We believe that this coordination with our allies would send a powerful message of our unified commitment to deterring Iran’s nuclear program,” the letter reads. “We also believe it would convey the message to Iran that they will not be able to reap the benefits of international sanctions relief if they decide to operate outside of their nuclear commitments.”

A landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers eased international economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on the country’s nuclear program.

But President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement and Washington began reinstating crippling sanctions on Iran. 

In turn, Tehran began breaching terms of the accord. 

Iranian officials say the country’s nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes and they deny seeking nuclear weapons.

The House letter also highlights Iran’s growing cooperation with Russia and China, which the lawmakers said “bolsters the Iranian regime’s confidence and may make them more likely to challenge U.S. allies and interests.”