July 30, 2012 | Press Release

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies Applauds Progress on Iran Sanctions

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC (FDD, July 31, 2012) – The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) applauds Congress for reaching bipartisan consensus in support of legislation that significantly increases pressure on Iran over its illicit nuclear activities and targets the Iranian and Syrian regimes for their human rights abuses.

The Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act is a major upgrade to the current sanctions regime which closes significant loopholes in current law and tightens U.S. sanctions in key areas which FDD has extensively researched, and championed, including measures dealing with energy, shipping, banking, insurance, nonproliferation, and human rights abuses in both Iran and Syria.

“Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman Tim Johnson (D-SD), and the other members of Congress whose work has been critical to this bill, should be applauded for their tireless efforts in responding to the gravity of the Iranian regime's threat to America, to our allies such as Israel, and to the repression of the Iranian and Syrian peoples. This legislation continues Congress' bipartisan tradition of developing tough sanctions laws that are dramatically reducing the Iranian regime's oil revenues and imposing significant economic costs on a regime that refuses to compromise over its nuclear weapons program, and end its campaign of terror,” said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and an Iran sanctions expert.

“But Iranian nuclear physics is beating Western economic pressure and diplomacy, as the centrifuges keep spinning, and the Iranian regime continues its campaign of murder abroad and at home. While this bill is an important step towards economic warfare against the Iranian regime, much more needs to be done. Iran's leaders need to be persuaded that the U.S. is committed to using every instrument of state power to counter the Iranian threat.” 

“Sanctions have led to a sharp drop in Iranian oil revenues, and have seriously damaged Iran's economy, but they have not accomplished the goal for which they were designed. Sanctions are as much about pyschology as legalities. Looming over the sanctions debate is Iranian perception of American intent. Sanctions so far have not created enough fear to persuade the Iranian regime that the U.S. is truly committed to stopping the regime's pursuit of nuclear weapons, terrorist activities and human rights abuses.”

To discuss the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ work on Iran and Syria, or schedule interviews with Mark Dubowitz, or any of FDD’s other Iran and Syria experts, please contact David Donadio at [email protected].

###

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is a non-profit, non-partisan policy institute dedicated exclusively to promoting pluralism, defending democratic values, and fighting the ideologies that drive terrorism.

Issues:

Iran Iran Sanctions Syria