Prevent Iranian Nuclear Weapons Capability

House and Senate members are spearheading initiatives to strengthen economic sanctions on Iran in order to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.

By a resounding vote of 99-0, the Senate on May 22 passed a resolution (S. Res. 65) declaring that: (1) prevention of an Iranian nuclear weapon remains American policy; (2) it is essential to step up enforcement of sanctions against Iran; and (3) the United States will stand by Israel should the Jewish state feel compelled to take military action in its own defense against Iran. The resolution was co-authored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

In the House, lawmakers have introduced the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act (H.R. 850), which would strengthen enforcement of current U.S. sanctions on Iran, expand sanctions targeting Iran’s human rights violations, and, for the first time, specifically authorize the president to impose sanctions on any entity that maintains significant commercial ties to Iran. The bill was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY). A final vote on the bill remains pending.

Iran's Nuclear Program

President Obama on Iran's Nuclear Program

Robert Wood, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna, Speaks on Iran's Nuclear Program

Nuclear Proliferation

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Key Points

Iran represents a growing threat.
Iran may be entering the final stages in its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability, a development that would pose a major threat to the United States and Israel and spur a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
More sanctions are needed to stop Iran.
The Nuclear Iran Prevention Act strengthens the implementation of existing sanctions and adopts newer and stronger ones in order to persuade Tehran to halt its illicit behavior.
America must stand with Israel.
The United States must make clear that it will not tolerate an Iranian nuclear capability and that it will stand by Israel should the Jewish state feel compelled to take military action in its own defense.