U.S. Policy
The following is a roundup of Congressional legislation, letters, and other actions relating to the ongoing negotiations over Iran's controversial nuclear program. Legislation Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2015 On Jan. 27, 2015, Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced…
On March 26, a new round of nuclear negotiations began in Lausanne, Switzerland between Iran and the world's six major powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. Officials noted that the negotiations were intensifying, with only a few days remaining before the deadline…
In March, U.S. officials acknowledged that Iran’s involvement in Iraq could help defeat ISIS, but cautioned that it could also fuel sectarian conflict. Iraqi security forces and Iranian-backed Shiite militias launched an offensive to drive ISIS out of Tikrit in February. Both the United States and…
On March 20, President Barack Obama issued the following statement on U.S. citizens detained or missing in Iran for the occasion of Nowruz, Persian New Year. The spirit of family is deeply woven into all of the rich cultural traditions of the Nowruz holiday. It is a time for reuniting and…
On March 19, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. Chairmen Ed Royce defended Congress’ role in curtailing Iran’s nuclear program. “Congress built the sanctions structure that brought Iran to the table,” he said. “And if the President…
On March 18, the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere held a joint hearing about Iran and Hezbollah’s involvement in Central and South America. The committees discussed Iran's attempts to expand its influence in Latin America during…
On March 14, Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged that the United States was aware of Iran’s involvement in Iraq. “We know that Iran has been engaged,” Kerry said during his remarks to the press in Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt. He also emphasized that the United States has not been directly…
Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif in Lausanne, Switzerland to discuss Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. On March 16, the first day of talks, Zarif said solutions are “within reach” on certain issues while gaps remain on others. U.S. Secretary…
One of the major questions emerging about a nuclear deal with Iran is what role the United Nations might play in endorsing or codifying it in a Security Council Resolution. U.S. officials have suggested that the deal would not exactly be legally binding, referencing the 2013 U.S.-Russian framework…
The following is the full text of the White House press release and President Obama’s letter to Congress on the renewal of the national emergency with respect to Iran. CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO IRAN On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the President…