Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) pushed for congressional support of the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act on Monday in the wake of the recent nuclear agreement reached with Iran.
Iran agreed to halt its nuclear development program for six months in exchange for loosened economic sanctions while further negotiations continue.
“The stakes are too high to trust a regime that has proven it cannot be trusted,” Buchanan said. “This dangerously reckless agreement allows Iran to continue its pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
The accord calls on Iran to neutralize its stockpile of highly enriched uranium but doesn’t mandate that Iran shut down its plutonium reactor or stop enrichment of uranium.
“The only reason Iran came to the bargaining table in the first place is because the sanctions are working,” Buchanan said. “Now is the time to tighten the economic noose – not loosen it – if we want to end their nuclear program once and for all.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement a “historic mistake.”
Buchanan encouraged Congress to support the bipartisan Nuclear Iran Prevention Act that was approved by the House of Representatives in July. The bill would impose stronger economic sanctions on Iran.
“The United States must not be fooled by hollow verbal gestures,” Buchanan said. “Iran must prove through its actions that they are serious about eliminating its nuclear program. Until then, tougher sanctions are in order.”