On the recordMay 21, 2012
I wish to reiterate and underscore the words of my colleague, the senior Senator from New York, about how important the tightening of the Iran sanctions are to Israel, to the United States of America, and to the stability of the world. Allowing nuclear weapons in the hands of a country as unstable as Iran and which is hostile to so many of our values and which is hostile to most people in the world--not just the United States, not just Israel, not just the democratic world--how problematic this is for the entire world. That is why I am pleased with the work Chairman Johnson did, along with Ranking Member Shelby, Senator Menendez, Senator Graham, and others, so that this continues to send an important message to Iran that we will continue to increasingly tighten sanctions threatening to Iran and the stability of its economy, and helping Iran to understand that this will create difficulties for that regime in having any support of its people with the economic consequences that could happen as we tighten sanctions. As Senator McCain said, we will take nothing off the table. We want a diplomatic solution with these sanctions. We want Iran to recognize it is in their interests not to have nuclear weapons. That is the best thing for all of us, but, again, taking nothing off the table. ____________________
