Kennedy, Risch, colleagues applaud European sanctions on Iran

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and 48 other Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the French, German and British foreign ministers thanking them for initiating snapback sanctions on Iran, and urging them to keep pressure until they achieve the elimination of Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Key excerpts from the letter are below:

"We write to applaud the United Kingdom, France, and Germany for initiating the snapback process to return international sanctions on Iran at the United Nations Security Council. This action was necessary in light of the Iranian regime's persistent acts of nuclear extortion. We commend your leadership and support the successful reimposition of international sanctions and restrictions targeting the Iranian arms industry, its nuclear and missile programs, and its terror and proliferation activities."

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"While we back diplomatic efforts to restore Iran's compliance with its International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commitments, the international community should not allow hollow gestures and cynical threats from Tehran to stop the snapback process. The regime has abused diplomatic processes for years to avoid penalties. Sanctions relief should only be negotiated after snapback is fully implemented. The regime must fully and verifiably dismantle its nuclear program, restore full IAEA access, terminate its support for international terror proxies, and end its ballistic missile program - at a minimum."

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"In light of the soon-returning international sanctions, we need joint interdiction efforts to prevent Iranian proliferation and acquisition of military, missile, and nuclear goods, technologies, and components. In line with returning UN obligations, we hope you will help us fully shutter Iran's banking sector abroad, including by closing all branches in Europe. Closing off the regime's financial pathways will curb the regime's aggression. More pressure is necessary to ultimately bring Iran back to meaningful and serious diplomatic engagement on the full spectrum of its malign activities."

Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and 30 other Republican senators also signed the letter.

Read the full letter here.