I believe that prudence demands that Congress begin to lay the groundwork for a different approach should Iran continue to reject meaningful negotiations.

Should negotiations fail, stronger sanctions, not war, are the next logical step.

The most effective sanctions against Iran, in my view, would be those that are multilateral and not unilateral.

I am deeply worried by this situation where I think because of the election, because of the just aggressive violence, oppression of any voice pushing back on the results of that election, that unfair election, that Ahmadinejad has been…

The United States cannot be passive and do nothing given the grave threat a nuclear-armed Iran would pose for the United States, Israel and our Arab partners.

By supporting the international offer for negotiations, the Obama Administration is building credibility with countries important for any future negotiation or sanctions effort.

If Iranian officials are unwilling to sit down at the table and negotiate, then Congress is prepared to authorize what Secretary of State Clinton has referred to as 'crippling' economic sanctions.

I have a terrible feeling that this situation is close to slipping beyond our ability to influence it.

It would be unwise to tie the President's hands in legislation when it is impossible to know how the situation will develop in the coming months.

My best judgment is that, even if negotiations are held this autumn, they will fail due to the predictably unreasonable and inflexible attitudes of Ahmadinejad and his colleagues.

Most of the Arab governments are deeply suspicious of the Ahmadinejad government in Iran.

We need to listen to people... talk about the use of weapons.

The Iranian regime was seen for what it really is--a ruthless group of leaders who have used the power of the military and security services to terrorize their own population.

I can think of no foreign policy challenge to our country that is more serious and perhaps more pressing than the challenge of a nuclear-armed Iran.

I don't think it is inevitable that we are going to have a war with Iran.

The threat is real, both to the United States and to Israel, and the profound instability that could result in the region if Iran were able to acquire nuclear weapons should be of concern to every American and every citizen on this planet.

Crippling sanctions are not only consistent with diplomacy; they are critical to any hope of its success.

The right policy for the United States, in my judgment, is thus to stand by the invitation for international discussions.

I thank you, Senator Bayh, for your strong and persistent leadership on this matter.

The courageous people of Iran deserve our support.

As many Congressional leaders have stated, we must negotiate with Iran from a position of strength.

The first is the possibility of international negotiations over the nuclear issue.

The greatest threat to peace is for Iran to get a nuclear weapons capability.

This is a part of the world where it is hard to find friends, and this is a deep, deep friend.

I think the President is actually in a very strong position internationally, stronger than, let us say, President Bush was a couple of years ago.