November 7, 2009

Iran

Because the Iranian government has been unwilling to provide the international community with critical information about its nuclear program, Senator Wyden has serious concerns that Iran is seeking to build nuclear weapons. He is also very troubled by Iran's sponsorship of terrorist groups like Hezbollah and the Iranian government's destabilization of Iraq, the Middle East and beyond.

Wyden remains committed to a peaceful resolution of this problem. He opposes a military solution and insists that Congress must authorize any military action that the President might contemplate.

The Senator is concerned that the Bush Administration's saber-rattling on Iran failed to have its intended effect and even strengthened President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's position - a position that would otherwise be much weaker in light of his failures to turn the Iranian economy around and improve the lives of poor Iranians.

To resolve the dispute with Iran, Wyden believes in more diplomacy coupled with the threat of severe multilateral economic sanctions to persuade Iran to discontinue its nuclear program, refrain from supporting terrorism and become a responsible international actor. He also supports holding companies investing in Iran's energy sector accountable for aiding the Iranian regime.

In the 110th Congress, Senator Wyden supported the Iran Sanctions Act, S. 3227, because he believed it was both smart and tough, and contained the right balance of carrots and sticks. The bill was approved by the Finance Committee, on which Sen. Wyden serves, but did not receive a vote on the floor of the Senate. In the 109th Congress, Senator Wyden introduced the Investor in Iran Accountability Act, which would have required the publishing of information about companies investing in Iran's energy sector. Holding those companies accountable would have helped remove a critical source of funding the Iranian regime uses to maintain its grip on power and finance its nuclear ambitions. Senator Wyden continues to search for ways to use economic and diplomatic tools to reach a peaceful resolution with Iran.

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