WASHINGTON, D.C. (SDJW)– President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the United States was withdrawing from the multinational agreement (JCPOA) with Iran that was intended to curb that nation’s march toward nuclear weapon production. Following are his speech plus a position paper issued by the White House in support of the President’s decision. At the conclusion of that paper, we herein print commentary from the U.S. State Department, as well as from supporters and opponents of the President’s action.
THE PRESIDENT: “My fellow Americans,
Today, I want to update the world on our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The Iranian regime is the leading state sponsor of terror. It exports dangerous missiles, fuels conflicts across the Middle East, and supports terrorist proxies and militias such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
Over the years, Iran and its proxies have bombed American Embassies and military installations, murdered hundreds of American service members, and kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured American citizens.
The Iranian regime has funded its long reign of chaos and terror by plundering the wealth of its own people.
No action taken by the regime has been more dangerous than its pursuit of nuclear weapons — and the means of delivering them.
In 2015, the previous administration joined with other nations in a deal regarding Iran’s nuclear program. This agreement was known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or J.C.P.O.A.
In theory, the so-called “Iran deal” was supposed to protect the United States and our allies from the lunacy of an Iranian nuclear bomb, a weapon that will only endanger the survival of the Iranian regime.
In fact, the deal allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and — over time — reach the brink of a nuclear breakout.
The deal lifted crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for very weak limits on the regime’s nuclear activity — and no limits at all on its other malign behavior, including its sinister activities in Syria, Yemen, and other places all around the world.
In other words, at the point when the United States had maximum leverage, this disastrous deal gave this regime — and it’s a regime of great terror — many billions of dollars, some of it in actual cash — a great embarrassment to me as a citizen and to all citizens of the United States.
A constructive deal could easily have been struck at the time, but it wasn’t.
At the heart of the Iran deal was a giant fiction: that a murderous regime desired only a peaceful nuclear energy program.
Today, we have definitive proof that this Iranian promise was a lie. Last week, Israel published intelligence documents — long concealed by Iran — conclusively showing the Iranian regime and its history of pursuing nuclear weapons.
The fact is, this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made. It didn’t bring calm, it didn’t bring peace, and it never will.
In the years since the deal was reached, Iran’s military budget has grown by almost 40 percent — while its economy is doing very badly. After the sanctions were lifted, the dictatorship used its new funds to build its nuclear-capable missiles, support terrorism, and cause havoc throughout the Middle East and beyond.
The agreement was so poorly negotiated that even if Iran fully complies, the regime can still be on the verge of a nuclear breakout in just a short period of time. The deal’s sunset provisions are totally unacceptable.
If I allowed this deal to stand, there would soon be a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. Everyone would want their weapons ready by the time Iran had theirs.
Making matters worse, the deal’s inspection provisions lack adequate mechanisms to prevent, detect, and punish cheating and don’t even have the unqualified right to inspect many important locations, including military facilities. Not only does the deal fail to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but it also fails to address the regime’s development of ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads.
Finally, the deal does nothing to constrain Iran’s destabilizing activities, including its support for terrorism.
Since the agreement, Iran’s bloody ambitions have grown only more brazen. In light of these glaring flaws, I announced last October that the Iran deal must either be renegotiated or terminated.
Three months later, on January 12th, I repeated these conditions. I made clear that if the deal could not be fixed, the United States would no longer be a party to the agreement.
Over the past few months, we have engaged extensively with our allies and partners around the world, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. We have also consulted with our friends from across the Middle East. We are unified in our understanding of the threat and in our conviction that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.
After these consultations, it is clear to me that we cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement. The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen. In just a short period of time, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror will be on the cusp of acquiring the world’s most dangerous weapons.
Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.
In a few moments, I will sign a presidential memorandum to begin reinstating U.S. nuclear sanctions on the Iranian regime. We will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction. Any nation that helps Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons could also be strongly sanctioned by the United States.
America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction. And we will not allow a regime that chants “Death to America” to gain access to the most deadly weapons on Earth.
Today’s action sends a critical message. The United States no longer makes empty threats. When I make promises, I keep them. In fact, at this very moment, Secretary Pompeo is on his way to North Korea in preparation for my upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un. Plans are being made, relationships are building. Hopefully, a deal will happen, and with the help of China, South Korea, and Japan, a future of great prosperity and security can be achieved for everyone.
As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat. This will include efforts to eliminate the threat of Iran’s ballistic missile program, to stop its terrorist activities worldwide, and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East.
In the meantime, powerful sanctionS also go into full effect. If the regime continues its its nuclear aspirations, it will have bigger problems than it has ever had before. Finally, I want to deliver a message to the long-suffering people of Iran.
The people of America stand with you.
It has now been almost 40 years since this dictatorship seized power and took a proud nation hostage. Most of Iran’s 80 million citizens have sadly never known an Iran that prospered in peace with its neighbors and commanded the admiration of the world.
But the future of Iran belongs to its people. They are the rightful heirs to a rich culture and an ancient land, and they deserve a nation that does justice to their dreams, honor to their history and glory to God.
Iran’s leaders will naturally say that they refuse to negotiate a new deal. They refuse, and that’s fine. I’d probably say the same thing if I was in their position. But the fact is, they are going to want to make a new and lasting deal, one that benefits all of Iran and the Iranian people.
When they do, I am ready, willing, and able. Great things can happen for Iran. And great things can happen for the peace and stability that we all want in the Middle East. There has been enough suffering, death, and destruction. Let it end now. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you.” [Speech relayed by Jewishwebsight.com]
The White House statement read as follows:
- President Trump is terminating United States participation in the JCPOA, as it failed to protect America’s national security interests.
- The JCPOA enriched the Iranian regime and enabled its malign behavior, while at best delaying its ability to pursue nuclear weapons and allowing it to preserve nuclear research and development.
- The President has directed his Administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing sanctions related to the JCPOA.
- The re-imposed sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran’s economy, such as its energy, petrochemical, and financial sectors.
- Those doing business in Iran will be provided a period of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran.
- Those who fail to wind down such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences.
- United States withdrawal from the JCPOA will pressure the Iranian regime to alter its course of malign activities and ensure that Iranian bad acts are no longer rewarded. As a result, both Iran and its regional proxies will be put on notice. As importantly, this step will help ensure global funds stop flowing towards illicit terrorist and nuclear activities.
IRAN’S BAD FAITH AND BAD ACTIONS: Iran negotiated the JCPOA in bad faith, and the deal gave the Iranian regime too much in exchange for too little.
- Intelligence recently released by Israel provides compelling details about Iran’s past secret efforts to develop nuclear weapons, which it lied about for years.
- The intelligence further demonstrates that the Iranian regime did not come clean about its nuclear weapons activity, and that it entered the JCPOA in bad faith.
- The JCPOA failed to deal with the threat of Iran’s missile program and did not include a strong enough mechanism for inspections and verification.
- The JCPOA foolishly gave the Iranian regime a windfall of cash and access to the international financial system for trade and investment.
- Instead of using the money from the JCPOA to support the Iranian people at home, the regime has instead funded a military buildup and continues to fund its terrorist proxies, such as Hizballah and Hamas.
- Iran violated the laws and regulations of European countries to counterfeit the currency of its neighbor, Yemen, to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force’s destabilizing activities.
ADDRESSING IRANIAN AGGRESSION: President Trump is committed to ensuring Iran has no possible path to a nuclear weapon and is addressing the threats posed by the regime’s malign activities.
- President Trump will work to assemble a broad coalition of nations to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon and to counter the totality of the regime’s malign activities.
- Nations must work together to halt the Iranian regime’s destabilizing drive for regional hegemony.
- In Syria, the Iranian regime supports the Assad regime and is complicit in Assad’s atrocities against the Syrian people.
- In Yemen, the regime has escalated the conflict and used the Houthis as a proxy to attack other nations.
- In Iraq, Iran’s IRGC sponsors Shia militant groups and terrorists.
- In Lebanon, the Iranian regime enables Hizballah to play a highly destabilizing role and to build an arsenal of weapons that threatens the region.
- The Administration’s actions are directed against the malign behavior of the Iranian regime, not against the Iranian people, who are the regime’s longest-suffering victims.
- President Trump is making clear that, in addition to never developing a nuclear weapon, the Iranian regime must:
- Never have an ICBM, cease developing any nuclear-capable missiles, and stop proliferating ballistic missiles to others.
- Cease its support for terrorists, extremists, and regional proxies, such as Hizballah, Hamas, the Taliban, and al-Qa’ida.
- End its publicly declared quest to destroy Israel.
- Stop its threats to freedom of navigation, especially in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.
- Cease escalating the Yemen conflict and destabilizing the region by proliferating weapons to the Houthis.
- End its cyber-attacks against the United States and our allies, including Israel.
- Stop its grievous human rights abuses, shown most recently in the regime’s crackdown against widespread protests by Iranian citizens.
- Stop its unjust detention of foreigners, including United States citizens.
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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo followed up the White House announcement with this statement:
As we exit the Iran deal, we will be working with our allies to find a real, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the Iranian threat. We have a shared interest with our allies in Europe and around the world to prevent Iran from ever developing a nuclear weapon. But our effort is broader than just the nuclear threat and we will be working together with partners to eliminate the threat of Iran’s ballistic missile program; to stop its terrorist activities worldwide; and to block its menacing activity across the Middle East and beyond. As we build this global effort, sanctions will go into full effect and will remind the Iranian regime of the diplomatic and economic isolation that results from its reckless and malign activity.
Reactions to President Trump’s decision were quick in coming:
American Israel Public Affairs Council (AIPAC) — Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapons capability. AIPAC has long worked with Democrats and Republicans in Congress and with administrations of both parties to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Given the combination of a critically flawed 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and the international community’s inability so far to adequately address these shortcomings, we believe the administration’s decision today provides an important opportunity to address the shortcomings of the deal and to confront Iran’s escalating regional aggression. Strong and effective economic and political pressure previously brought Iran to the negotiating table. Working with our allies, we must once again use the tools of American diplomacy and economic pressure to fix the deal’s shortcomings and counter Iran’s malign activities. We recognize that there are significant differences over this decision. AIPAC remains committed to working with Congress and the administration in a bipartisan fashion to forge policies that will ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapons capability or realize its dangerous regional ambitions.
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations — Stephen M. Greenberg, Chairman and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations today issued the following statement: “The President’s declaration reflects frustration with Iranian behavior following the implementation of the JCPOA. While there are some differences of views as to the most effective approach, the Conference of Presidents has clearly and consistently called for an agreement which would ensure that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapons capability that would augment its ability to create mayhem in the region through its support of terrorism. Today’s announcement, we hope, will create an opportunity to accomplish these goals. We hope that a more comprehensive arrangement with stricter compliance rules, a prohibition against the development of long and short-range ballistic missiles, any weaponization program, and, of course, human rights violations, will become a reality. Sanctions targeting banking and energy sectors of the Iranian economy should be imposed. We hope that our European Allies will join in this endeavor. More effective compliance measures without sunset clauses, and giving inspectors unfettered access to military and other barred sites, should be included. The threat that Iran poses to Israel, its neighbors, and the world at large, mandates a comprehensive approach.”
Jewish Policy Center — The Jewish Policy Center applauds President Trump for withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the Iran deal. Iran entered the agreement hiding its prior nuclear weapons program and unwilling to allow inspections of its military facilities, and has since possessed too many centrifuges and too much heavy water. Furthermore, Iranian cooperation in military facilities with North Korea made it impossible for the United States to certify, as the JCPOA requires, that a) Iran is “transparently, verifiably, and fully implementing” the agreement; and b) “has not taken any action, including covert activities, that could significantly advance its nuclear weapons program.” With his decision not to certify Iran in compliance with the JCPOA last October, President Trump said, “We will not continue down a path whose predictable conclusion is more violence, more terror, and the very real threat of Iran’s nuclear breakout. In the event we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated.”mFrance, Germany and the United Kingdom have made intensive efforts to bring Iran closer to compliance, but they failed. Withdrawal from the JCPOA is not the end of the process. The President and America’s allies must find ways to protect the United States, Europe, and the Middle East from Iranian aggression – both nuclear and non-nuclear. But we believe President Trump has taken a decision that is responsive to the situation and vital to the national security interests of the United States.
Simon Wiesenthal Center — Rabbis Marvin Hier and Abraham Cooper, leaders of The Simon Wiesenthal Center, have issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw nuclear agreement with Iran: “A regime that serially celebrates the denial of the Nazi Holocaust—history’s most documented genocide— ever took place, can be relied upon to lie about its commitments to the international community,” said Rabbis Marvin Hier, founder and dean and Abraham Cooper, associate dean. Lying is the national anthem and Magna Carta of the Ayatollah’s regime,” they added. “Proof of the Ayatollah’s perfidy about its drive to nuclear development was uncovered by Israeli intelligence and is proof positive that Tehran cannot be trusted on life and death issues impacting the region and the world”, Hier and Cooper continued. “Leaving the status quo with Iran awash with billions of US taxpayer’s cash, would only ensure a growing circle of violence and terrorism in the region and ultimately could help pave the way for a nuclear arsenal that could reach our shores,” they concluded.
American Jewish Committee — AJC CEO David Harris, responding to President Trump’s announcement today that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, issued the following statement: When the JCPOA was first announced on July 14, 2015, AJC took three weeks to study the agreement, meet with a range of high-level American, European, and Middle Eastern officials, and engage in a thorough internal discussion. This was undertaken against a backdrop of nearly two decades of AJC’s focus on the growing Iran threat, and countless discussions from Beijing to Berlin, from Tokyo to Paris, from New Delhi to Brussels, from Washington to the UN, and well beyond. In the end, we concluded that we could not support the deal, as we feared its flaws – no binding provisions on ballistic missile development, no focus on Iran’s destabilizing regional behavior, weaknesses in the coverage of the inspections regime, and a dangerous sunset clause – would ultimately define it. Moreover, the fact that the deal was never submitted to the U.S. Senate and that not one Republican senator voiced support, coupled with weak public approval according to various national surveys, almost ensured that once Republicans came to power the JCPOA would be in danger.Regrettably, that’s exactly what happened. In addition, despite repeated Obama Administration predictions, which we ourselves heard more than once, that the JCPOA would moderate Iranian behavior and lead to greater focus on domestic growth and development, Tehran has expanded its regional aggression, repeatedly flexed its military muscle, continued its calls for Israel’s annihilation and “Death to America,” and flaunted its expanding missile program. And Israel’s remarkable intelligence coup in Iran further underscored the longstanding Iranian pattern of deceit, deception, and disinformation, and served as an additional warning to the international community about the true intentions of Iran’s leadership. President Donald J. Trump never hid his disdain for the JCPOA or his threat to withdraw the United States from it. But he also left open the possibility that, if our European allies, would be willing to address seriously the core weaknesses, then there was an alternative to “nixing” the deal. Regrettably, however, despite efforts on both sides of the Atlantic, full agreement on a path forward has to date eluded the Americans and Europeans. That is profoundly regrettable. Despite our many reservations, we had nonetheless hoped to see the deal “fixed,” not “nixed,” at this stage of the game.We can only hope that today’s action by the President, significant as it is, will not end the effort to find common ground. The last thing anyone should want is a wedge driven between the U.S. and our European partners, as Iran would inevitably become an unintended beneficiary. And given Iran’s current and future threats to regional and global security, that should be an outcome no one in the U.S. or Europe wants.
U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey — Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY17/Rockland-Westchester), Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump announced he is withdrawing the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): “I voted against the Iran nuclear deal and continue to believe there are ways to improve it. Yet, absent compelling evidence from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the intelligence community that Iran has failed to comply with the agreement, President Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the JCPOA is reckless and damages the United States’ reputation as a dependable partner and international leader. In these polarized times, Republicans and Democrats have consistently agreed that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. But politicians on both sides of the aisle also agree that Iran’s malevolent, non-nuclear activities, such as support for terrorist groups and its ballistic missile program, are deeply destabilizing to the region. Given that France, Germany, and the UK announced their intentions to stay in the JCPOA, the Administration should have developed a comprehensive strategy to vigorously enforce the deal and to combat Iran’s malicious efforts. Instead, at a critical time, the President is giving up our leverage on Iran and allowing it to further provoke chaos in the Middle East. Diplomacy is a delicate art that depends on trustworthiness and unity among allies. With negotiations set to begin with North Korea, President Trump’s decision today undermines our credibility, divides our closest global partners, and threatens international security in the Middle East and beyond.”
Americans for Peace Now –– With his decision today to place the United States in violation of the Iran nuclear deal, Donald Trump has taken one of the most dangerous actions of his presidency. By withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reimposing sanctions the US had waived in fulfillment of its obligations under the deal, Trump boosts hardliners in Iran who likely will push to exit the deal and restart Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Trump’s move has potentially disastrous ramifications for both America’s national security and Israel’s. It pushes the United States and its allies closer to a regional war in the Middle East and could result in Iran’s leaping toward a nuclear weapon. To be clear, Trump will be abrogating a deal that was working, with repeated certifications by the International Atomic Energy Agency of Iranian compliance under the most intrusive inspection regime ever negotiated. And Trump has no Plan B, other than escalation with Iran. The increased likelihoods of war and a nuclear-armed Iran are real, endangering the security of both the United States and Israel. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s delivered a cartoonish presentation which unintentionally showcased the need for the multilateral deal to prevent Iran from realizing nuclear ambitions. Trump indicated that Netanyahu’s show influenced his decision. Unfortunately, it is Israel that will be on the front lines of any conflict with Iran, putting Israeli citizens in jeopardy. Former Mossad head Danny Yatom recently warned that if the US withdraws and the JCPOA collapses as a result, “the Iranians may come back immediately to where they were left before the agreement, and this is to continue and to enrich uranium in order to achieve in something like a year a nuclear bomb.” Meanwhile, President Trump is damaging America’s role as global leader. Our credibility in negotiating future deals, especially with nuclear North Korea, will be eviscerated. And our alliances, particularly with European partners who worked mightily to influence Trump to save the deal, will suffer significant harm. While Trump will predictably attempt to shift the blame for the consequences of his disastrous decision onto other parties, the blame will be solely his. Nonetheless, responsible parties must now work to pick up the pieces. Congress should begin considering legislation to suspend nuclear-related sanctions on Iran indefinitely, effectively overriding Trump’s decision. The Europeans have a vital role to play in attempting to convince Iran to remain in the JCPOA despite Trump’s action. Yet again, Trump is basing a pivotal foreign policy decision on ill-informed promises he made during the presidential campaign. This time, he also appears to be guided by a desire to undo the signature foreign policy accomplishment of his predecessor, Barack Obama. For those concerned about the increased threat of regional war in the Middle East, giving in to despair over President Trump’s irresponsible action is not an option. We must pursue pathways to keep the JCPOA alive.
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America -= Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America – the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization – commended President Donald Trump for his announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal (“JCPOA”). The Orthodox Union opposed the JCPOA when it was being negotiated and approved by President Obama and his Administration. Over the course of several years, the Orthodox Union’s leaders met directly with President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, Secretary of Energy Moniz and other senior officials to register our concerns with the possible – and then concluded – deal. The Orthodox Union then urged the U.S. Congress to disapprove of the deal. Nathan Diament, the Orthodox Union’s executive director for public policy, stated: “The Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) has serious shortcomings. Its sunset clause is the most serious as it paves the way for Iran to legitimately obtain nuclear weapons capacity. It also suffers from a weak inspections regime and no provisions constraining Iran’s ballistic missile activity nor Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism across the globe. Since the deal was signed, Iran has continued these nefarious and violent activities.”
Orthodox Union President Mark (Moishe) Bane stated:“The Orthodox Union commends President Donald Trump for his decision today withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal. The President has long recognized the flaws of the JCPOA and has followed through today with the correct action. We will support the President’s coming actions to bring true and lasting security to the Middle East and beyond.”
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth — Following President Trump’s reckless decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear agreement, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: “While the Iran nuclear agreement was far from perfect, it has been successful in pushing back Iran’s timeline for nuclear weapons development, which was a key goal of the agreement. Donald Trump’s reckless announcement today not only threatens to destroy years of important non-proliferation efforts, it also isolates us from our allies and undermines our country’s ability to use diplomacy to negotiate future agreements, leaving us with less leverage on the world stage. That’s alarming, especially at this critical time as we attempt to reach a diplomatic solution to the North Korean crisis. Our nation’s top defense and military officials agree that Iran is in compliance with the agreement and recommended we remain in this deal. It’s unfortunate that on this critical matter of national security, the President has decided to cast aside their advice.”
Republican Jewish Coalition — Today, the Republican Jewish Coalition issued the following statement: The RJC thanks President Trump for withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, ending the Obama-era policy of trying to achieve peace through weakness. Of course this peace never came. Iran was emboldened by the legitimacy given to them on the world stage and the pallets of cash delivered to their doorstep. Iran continues to be an existential threat to Israel, and continues to menace Israel directly and through its proxies (such as Hezbollah). Today’s decision renewed hope for a truly long-term nuclear-free Iran. By withdrawing from the agreement that Obama made, without Senate approval, President Trump now has at his disposal tools, like the enhanced sanctions that were waived under Obama, to get a deal that creates the necessary pressure on Iran. We appreciate President Trump’s bold foreign policy and look forward to his leadership in dealing with the Iranian threat.
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast — U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action: “President Trump clearly understands the importance of many issues that the Obama Administration chose to ignore. The government of Iran, by their own admission, wants America and Israel destroyed. But this historically bad deal provided a clear pathway for Iran to expand its nuclear weapons program, and Iran has boldly declared that, despite the deal, they can kick-start and produce enriched uranium within two days. The sanctions lifted under the deal have emboldened Iran and given them access to more than $100 billion in previously frozen assets. With the help of that money, Iran is colonizing the Middle East through their terror arm Hezbollah. They have imprisoned U.S. citizens, taken our sailors hostage and fired rockets towards our Navy. And a parade of concessions by the Obama Administration empowered Iran to test-launch more than a dozen ballistic missiles and threaten to use those same missiles to strike U.S. military bases. President Trump’s decisive action today is a much needed first step in the long road to undoing the damage caused by President Obama, Secretary Kerry, Secretary Clinton and their foreign policy advisors. No deal with Iran is far wiser than a bad deal.”
U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam — Today, Representative Roskam (IL-06) released the following statement on the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) flushed the Iranian regime with billions in cash while only temporarily delaying it as a nuclear-weapons state. Since the Obama Administration struck this disastrous deal, Iran has spent billions supporting its terror proxies throughout the Middle East—undermining regional stability, harming U.S. allies and endangering U.S. troops— all while the Iranian people suffer grave poverty and repression under the regime. The decision to walk away from this deal is the correct one. Congress voted overwhelmingly against this agreement in 2015 and I’ve since authored legislation to build leverage to help U.S. negotiators fix the major flaws of this deal, but our European partners have not committed to fixing the deficiencies of the JCPOA. Until Iran and our partners are willing to come to the table to truly solve this issue, we must take our first steps to combat the Iranian threat unilaterally. It’s time to impose crippling sanctions on Iran and use available tools to weaken this regime and permanently prevent it from a nuclear weapons capability while encouraging our allies to do the same. We must reimpose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran, the National Iranian Oil Company, Iran Air and all other entities granted sanctions relief under the Obama administration while also targeting other regime-owned companies responsible for Iran’s other malign activities. The world’s most dangerous regime must never acquire the world’s most dangerous weapon.”
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World Jewish Congress — World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder on Tuesday praised US President Donald Trump’s decision to allow sanctions to go forward on Iran calling it an “unmistakable message to Iran and its allies that its very real threats against the United States and all other free and democratic nations in the world will not be tolerated. Iran is a rogue nation ruled by a regime that cannot be trusted to honor its word, and even more so with nuclear capabilities that would enable them to wreak havoc on the world and cause a catastrophic arms race in the region. President Trump has taken a courageous step today in making it ever clear to the Islamic Republic that he will not stand by in silence as it continues to subvert the nuclear agreement and exploit the good faith of the international community. We urge other countries to follow this administration’s example and not allow Iran to flout international law.”
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Preceding culled from news releases.