The U.S. State Department must renew efforts by America and its key allies and partners to impose a new arms embargo on Iran, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) wrote in a March 3 letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“As we face ever increasing challenges with Iran attempting to build nuclear weapons, terrorize its neighbors, and expand its influence across the Middle East, we must prevent Iran from further threatening the international community,” wrote Sen. Ernst and her colleague U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN).
The senators pointed out that in 2016, the United Nations Security Council extended a ban on the transfer of arms, but in a concession to Iran, allowed the ban to expire on Oct. 18, 2020. “Despite objections from the United States, our efforts to renew this arms embargo last year at the United Nations were not successful,” they wrote.
A meaningful and effective arms embargo that contains secondary sanctions must be imposed now to prevent countries and businesses from selling weapons and arms to Iran, and to prevent Iran from selling its weapons on the international market, according to their letter.
“We are increasingly concerned with Iran’s illicit and destabilizing activities around the globe,” wrote Sen. Ernst and her colleague. “Iran is not only a threat to U.S. security, but also to our allies and partners.”
The lawmakers expressed concern that Iran would continue to strengthen extremist groups and militias throughout the Middle East unless such action is taken.
“We must make a stand that U.S. and like-minded nations will punish those who buy from and sell arms to Iran, especially Russia who stands to supply most of the advanced weapon systems Iran wants to acquire,” they wrote. “We urge you to renew the effort for the United States to work with our allies and partners on an effective and enforceable arms embargo regime against Iran as soon as possible.”
On March 4, Sen. Ernst also signed on as a cosponsor of Senate Resolution (S.Res.) 72, which opposes the lifting of sanctions imposed with respect to Iran without addressing the full scope of Iran’s malign activities, including its nuclear program, ballistic and cruise missile capabilities, weapons proliferation, support for terrorism, hostage-taking, gross human rights violations, and other destabilizing activities, according to text of the resolution.
And in February, Sen. Ernst cosponsored S. 488 with bill sponsor Sen. Hagerty to provide for congressional review of actions to terminate or waive sanctions imposed with respect to Iran. The measure has 23 other GOP cosponsors and is under consideration in the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
On Feb. 3, she signed on as an original cosponsor of S.Res. 31, which would express “the Senate’s opposition to the current, ineffective JCPOA,” according to the text of the resolution, which refers to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and urges President Biden to work with Congress and refuse to rejoin the deal without significant reform. “President Biden’s first responsibility is to keep the nation safe, and that includes making sure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon,” Sen. Ernst said last month. “Even to discuss rejoining the original Iran Nuclear Deal right now is unwise.”