WASSERMAN SCHULTZ STATEMENT ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH IRAN

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) issued the following statement today after a series of developments with Iran:

“Yesterday, the United States, our P5+1 negotiating partners and Iran officially announced the full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). After years of negotiations and hard-hitting sanctions culminated in a diplomatic agreement last summer, Iran’s nuclear weapons’ development operations have finally been shuttered. On Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran fulfilled its commitments under the JCPOA, including dismantling more than half its centrifuges, disabling the Arak nuclear reactor, and eliminating almost all of its highly enriched uranium stockpile. I commend the tireless work of Secretaries John Kerry, Ernest Moniz, Jack Lew, and Undersecretary Wendy Sherman and their entire team. In accordance with the agreement, the United States and our negotiating partners will lift certain sanctions against Iran that relate to individuals and entities involved in its nuclear program. Going forward, the international community will have the most intrusive inspection regime on the ground in Iran to verify its compliance.

“I supported the JCPOA because I believe it is the best way to ensure that Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. Of course, there is still critical work ahead of us, and I continue to remain deeply concerned with Iran’s steadfast support of terrorism and tolerance for human rights abuses. With Iran’s nuclear program at bay, we must focus our attention on bringing these additional threats to our security and the security of our allies to a screeching halt.

“I was pleased to see the Obama Administration announce on Sunday that it would be imposing additional sanctions on entities involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program, an issue I and several of my colleagues raised with the President earlier this month.

“It is of utmost importance that we continue to maintain and enforce other sanctions on Iran for its continued support of terrorism around the world and ongoing violations of human rights. As the easing of sanctions results in the release of Iranian funds held in foreign reserves, we must vigilantly monitor those funds to ensure they are not being used to support terrorism or conventional weapons’ capabilities in any way, as well as vigorously enforce our ongoing sanctions. Iran’s economy and people are suffering because of the weight of international sanctions. Iran’s leaders have an opportunity to improve their lives and show the rest of the world what kind of actor Iran will be on the international stage. However, as I have said many times before, the impetus is on Iran, which remains an untrustworthy actor.

“Finally, I join many of my fellow citizens and human rights activists in welcoming home Jason Rezaian, Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini, Nosratollah Khosrawi-Roodsari and Matthew Trevithick. I am thrilled for them and their families, who have gone through unspeakable hardship during their absence. At the same time, while we celebrate the release of these five individuals, we must also not forget that Bob Levinson, an American from South Florida, remains missing in Iran. I urge the Administration to continue pushing for his safe release back to his family.

“Today marks an opportunity for Iran to indicate to the entire international community how it will behave on the world stage with slightly opened doors. Its leaders should have no doubt that the United States and our allies will not hesitate in responding to continued aggressions and destabilizing behavior when it is necessary.”

Rep. Wasserman Schultz, along with several of her colleagues, recently sent a letter to President Obama urging him to impose new sanctions on Iran due to Iran’s recent violation of international law by test-firing medium-range ballistic missiles in October and November 2015. Read the letter here.