releases: https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-urges-diplomacy-iran-not-more-sanctions
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-urges-diplomacy-iran-not-more-sanctions | Blumenauer Urges Diplomacy with Iran, Not More Sanctions | 2013-11-19 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Democrat | House | OR | Earl Blumenauer | B000574 | blumenauer.house.gov | legacy | Transcript Mr. Speaker, in an era of violence in the Middle East, tragedy in Syria, and turmoil in Egypt, there's some encouraging news surrounding Iran. The most important signal may have been the election of Hassan Rouhani, who is by no means a moderate by any one stretch of the imagination, except in the context of Iran. He was the choice of the Iranian people for change, a different path to reduce the collision course with the United States and the crippling sanctions we've imposed. His Foreign Minister, Mohammad Zarif, is an able and experienced diplomat with strong relationships with the people who've dealt with him for years, both in the United States and Iran. I'm encouraged by the reports in the news and the opinion pages which point out something I've long argued on the floor of this House: the convergence of interests between the United States and Iran. People forget the key role the United States played in the emergence of the modern state of Iran: the constitutional revolution beginning in 1905, where American influence was profoundly felt. Unfortunately, for the last sixty years, we have serially mismanaged our relationship with Iran. How would we have felt if a foreign power worked to overthrow our democratically-elected government and install a dictator? That's exactly what the United States and Great Britain did in 1953, and how the Shah returned to power. It's amazing that the majority of Iranians still have positive feelings towards the United States, which they do. People forget the alignment of interest between the United States and Iran after 9/11 that lead them to help us deal with post-Taliban Afghanistan. And when in the capitals of some of our supposed allies in the Middle East, people were cheering at that tragedy; on 9/11, people in Tehran were standing in solidarity with Americans. This of course, before George Bush recklessly included them in his infamous Axis of Evil' pronouncement. The Iranian people are distinct from Arabs, proud of their Persian heritage stretching back thousands of years. Iran is an important part of any ultimate solution stabilizing Iraq and resolving the Syrian conflict. Yes, they have advanced nuclear development and we rightly should be deeply concerned with their pursuit of nuclear weapons. That's why one of the Obama administration's greatest foreign policy triumphs has been to marshal support of the world for the stringent, comprehensive regime of sanctions. It's made a huge difference driving down the value of their currency, depleting their foreign reserves and creating extreme inflationary pressures on their economy. Now is the time to see if a solution can be developed. It's decidedly not the time to ratchet up sanctions even further. Nothing would undercut the more moderate forces in Iran and more pressure could be very counter-productive because we are at risk of sanctions fatigue by our partners. Other countries that do not share our same policy positions and deep hostility towards Iranians have gone along with sanctions. To expect that countries like China, India and Russia are going to follow us with even more extreme sanctions, and turn our back on the progress, is questionable at best. At worst, it would end up losing support for the sanctions regime we have now, strengthen the hand of the hard-liners who do hate America, and set back long term prospects for peace, not just for Iran, but Syria, Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Most experts I've encountered feel Iran could have built a nuclear bomb years ago, but they didn't. Recently, they've slowed the pace of their nuclear activities and been open to proposals unthinkable a year ago. The rush to undercut the process is short-sighted, counter-productive and risks accelerating the development of Iranian nuclear weapons. Now is the time to accelerate diplomacy, not walk away. It is decidedly not the time for the United States Congress to throw a monkey wrench in the diplomatic proceedings and ratchet up sanctions. We can always re-impose sanctions but may not be able to recreate this diplomatic opportunity. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |