WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is cosponsoring a sanctions-in-waiting bill that demonstrates to Iran that it will suffer significantly if it cheats on its nuclear commitments, engages in terrorist or ballistic missile activities, or does not move expeditiously to dismantle its military-nuclear program. Sen. Toomey joined Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) in cosponsoring the bipartisan Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act.
"The Iranians have a long track record of delaying and cheating," said Sen. Toomey. "Strong sanctions brought Iran to the negotiating table, and sanctions are indispensable to a successful diplomatic outcome. The combination of tough sanctions and diplomacy is the only conceivable way, short of armed conflict, to achieve the U.S. and U.N. objective of ending Iran's nuclear weapons program."
The bill outlines a set of criteria that, at a minimum, must be included in any final agreement with Iran. These criteria include the dismantling of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, bringing Iran into compliance with all relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and authorizing frequent inspection of all relevant facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
