Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) organized 33 of their colleagues to sign a bipartisan letter urging the Obama administration to rigorously enforce sanctions on Iran’s illicit, non-nuclear activities — namely its support for terrorism, development of ballistic missiles, and human rights abuses. The lawmakers emphasized the need to maintain the restriction on Iran’s ability to conduct transactions with U.S. dollars. The following is the full text of the letter.July 8, 2016
Dear Mr. President:
We write to express our concern that your Administration is considering accommodation of certain dollar-based transactions for Iran following implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite sanctions imposed on Iran because of illicit activity separate from its nuclear enrichment program.
The prohibitions on Iran’s access to the U.S. financial system and the dollar were put in place, not only because of Iran’s illicit nuclear enrichment activities, but also because of Iran’s proliferation of weapons, development and testing of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, support for terrorism, sanctions evasion, and money laundering—activities that threatened the integrity of the international financial system as a whole.
Iran’s nefarious activities remain a threat to the integrity of the international financial system today. It is one of two countries on the Financial Action Task Force’s blacklist of high-risk, non-cooperative countries for refusing to assist in the global fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. Iran remains the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world. Additionally, Iran continues to transfer arms and test ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
We welcome your Administration’s assurance that Iran will not gain direct access to the U.S. financial system. As Iran seeks greater access to the global financial system, we urge you to take all action necessary to preserve the strength of U.S. sanctions imposed for Iran’s illicit non-nuclear activities—including preventing any indirect access to the U.S. financial system or the illegal use of dollars in Iranian trade.
We urge you to ensure the maximum strength of existing sanctions on Iran, including the restriction on dollar-based transactions for Iran, until Iran changes its nefarious behavior. If Iran wants direct or indirect access to the U.S. financial system, Iran can cease money laundering, proliferating weapons, developing ballistic missiles, and supporting terror.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Collins
Bill Nelson
Kelly Ayotte
Robert Menendez
Lisa A. Murkowski
Christopher A. Coons
James E. Risch
Elizabeth Warren
Roger F. Wicker
Gary Peters
Orrin G. Hatch
Benjamin L. Cardin
M. Michael Rounds
Michael F. Bennet
Mark Kirk
Charles E. Schumer
Jerry Moran
Cory Booker
Marco Rubio
Pat Roberts
Mike Crapo
Ted Cruz
James M. Inhofe
Johnny Isakson
John Hoeven
John Boozman
David Vitter
Thom Tillis
Chuck Grassley
James Lankford
Pat Toomey
Tim Scott
Cory Gardner
David Perdue
Deb Fischer
Click here for a PDF version.