The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee held hearings Wednesday on U.S. Policy towards Iran. Testifying before both committees were Wendy R. Sherman, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and David Cohen, Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
In his opening remarks, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said, “The Obama Administration, in concert with Congress, has pursued the dual-track approach of diplomacy and sanctions…The talks have been central in demonstrating to the world that it is Iran, and not the United States, that is acting in bad faith, and it is Iran through its obstinance has helped galvanize the international community to increase the pressure.” Menendez added, “a nuclear-armed Iran is not an option, which is why I have been fully dedicated to do everything we can to stop Iran from ever crossing that threshold, and why I introduced Senate Resolution 65 with Senator Graham that makes clear that a nuclear Iran is not an option and that the United States has Israel's back.”
In his testimony, Cohen said, “That is why this administration, from our first days in office, has pursued a dual-track strategy that offers Iran the opportunity for diplomatic engagement, while, at the same time, making abundantly clear that if Iran continues to refuse to comply with its international obligations, we along with our partners in the international community will apply increasingly powerful sanctions on Iran. That is exactly what we have done, and that is what we are committed to continue to do in close collaboration with Congress, so long as Iran refuses to engage meaningfully with respect to its nuclear program.”
In her remarks, Sherman said, “We are clear-eyed in our approach to the P5+1 talks and seek concrete results. After all, while the window for negotiation is still open, it will not remain so forever. We will give diplomacy every chance to succeed, but, ultimately, the onus is on Iran…we're making clear that Iran's international legitimacy and the end to their isolation depends on the choice of Iran's leaders are facing right now: change course or continue to pay the cost of intransigence.”
Cohen and Sherman also underscored the success of current sanctions, and the joint effort of creating the sanctions regime between the Congress and the administration. Cohen said, “Through the enactment and energetic implementation of key pieces of legislation, including CISADA and the NDAA, we have isolated Iran from the international financial system and driven down -- Iran's oil exports by some 50 percent, depriving Iran of a critical source of revenue.”
Representative Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said, “only when the Iranian leadership truly feels a choice between maintaining power and the bomb does our diplomacy have a chance to succeed. That is why Ranking Member Engel and I have introduced H.R. 850, the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act, to continue to turn up the economic and political heat on the regime. We look forward to moving this legislation out of Committee next week. It’s cliché to say the clock is ticking. I just hope we are able to act before the clock stops ticking.”