UPDATE: Nuclear Negotiations Center, September 17, 2015
Nuclear Negotiation Center Update –September 16, 2015
Update: Washington, D.C. – On September 10, 2015, the U.S. Senate voted to uphold the Obama administration’s historic nuclear agreement with Iran. On a procedural vote, a resolution of disapproval on the Iran deal (H.J.Res.64), fell two votes short of 60 needed to consider the legislation, effectively ensuring that the nuclear accord will be implemented.
Like much of the world, Iranian Americans have followed the Iran nuclear negotiations and ensuing developments with great interest. The PAAIA Public Policy Center is pleased to provide a resource page that provides easily accessible information about the on-going nuclear negotiations and subsequent agreementbetween Iran and the members of the P5+1 (U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China, and Germany).
The resource page includes a compilation of information provided by the U.S. government on the negotiations as well as viewpoints from members of Congress, editorials from leading news sources, and analyses from foreign policy and national security experts.
While PAAIA supports efforts to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the decade-long stalemate over Iran’s nuclear program, we recognize the importance of ensuring that Iranian Americans are well informed and aware of the positions held by their elected officials and others related to this matter.
Set forth below is a collection of the most recent updates to the P5+1 Iran Nuclear Negotiations Resource Center.
*The views expressed in these articles are solely the views of author or the interviewee, and should not be attributed to the views of PAAIA.*
September 16, 2015 —
Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam Szubin, U.S. Department of the Treasury
“[T]he JCPOA is a strong deal…the deal is not based on trust but on verification and on scrutiny. We need to neutralize this near-term threat, and in this agreement we have. Enforcing the JCPOA, though, making sure that Iran remains in compliance, will be among my highest priorities. And combating Tehran’s other destabilizing activities will be a continuing focus for my office…in the weeks and months to come. And I personally will be spending a great deal of my time and energy on that issue. Across all of our efforts, we will remain vigilant and serious in enforcing our laws. This situation demands no less.”
September 10, 2015 –
“This vote is a victory for diplomacy, for American national security, and for the safety and security of the world. I am heartened that so many senators judged this deal on the merits, and am gratified by the strong support of lawmakers and citizens alike.”
Supportive Congressional Statements
September 9, 2015 —
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY 25)
“This nuclear agreement will be implemented, and there’s nothing that the Majority can do about it.”
Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
“No matter how deep, how personal, and how sincere my concerns about this agreement are, they ultimately do not outweigh the need for a united position on Iran. I will be casting my vote against disapproval to send a signal to our allies and to Iran that the United States is serious about meeting the commitments our negotiators have made – and, more importantly, that Congress will work in a bipartisan way with the Administration to ensure that this agreement is fully and effectively enforced.”
September 8, 2015 —
US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CN)
“I will vote to support the proposed agreement concerning Iran’s nuclear program and against the resolution of disapproval before the Senate. My two paramount goals have been to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and do so by peaceful means. I believe the proposed agreement, using diplomacy, not military force, is the best path now available to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.”
“Given that there is now enough support for this agreement in the Senate, the task before all of us is to ensure that this and future administrations implement the agreement fully and enforce it vigorously.”
September 3, 2015—
“The reality is that rejecting the deal leads to a world in which a better deal is highly improbable, sanctions are greatly reduced in strength, the Iranian economy picks up some steam, and few if any of the benefits of the deal are in place.”
“I believe that supporting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiated between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China is the best option for advancing the goal of keeping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
Critical Congressional Statements
September 8, 2015—
“Whenever I am able, I will choose diplomacy over war because the stakes are so high for West Virginia, which has one of the highest rates of military service in the nation. But as I struggled with this decision, I could not ignore the fact that Iran, the country that will benefit most from sanctions being lifted, refuses to change its 36-year history of sponsoring terrorism.”
September 12, 2015: Larry Hanauer – Congress should monitor Iran deal, not keep trying to kill it
