Decertifying Iran Deal, Increasing Leverage to Hold Iran Accountable is Right Decision, Says Ros-Lehtinen

Decertifying Iran Deal, Increasing Leverage to Hold Iran Accountable is Right Decision, Says Ros-Lehtinen

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, made the following statement today in response to President Trump’s decision on Iran to decertify in accordance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

“This decision is a welcome opportunity to address some of the major deficiencies within the JCPOA and ensure that Iran will never be a nuclear weapon state. We must work together to close the loopholes, get rid of the sunsets, stop Iran’s ballistic missile program, mandate inspections of Iran’s military sites, and, once and for all, attain the unconditional release of all the U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents being unjustly held in Iran. We were sold a false bill of goods that promised international sanctions against Iran’s other illicit activity, yet too many in the international community, particularly our P5+1 partners, have given Iran a pass. There has not been one new EU sanction against Iran since the deal was implemented, despite Iran’s continued human rights violations, support for terror, and pursuit of ballistic missiles. Decertifying provides some much needed leverage and we need to use this opportunity to get the EU on board with sanctioning Iran’s non-nuclear related activity, including taking action against the IRGC, and protect the national security interests of the United States and our allies.”