Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I have sought recognition to express my views on the issue of sanctions against Iran. The Senate, on the unanimous consent calendar last Thursday, passed legislation calling for sanctions against Iran. This was the first opportunity I have had to address the subject. I wish to do so now. The threat posed by Iran armed with nuclear weapons is obvious and very serious. It is a threat which applies for the region, for the world. It is a vital national security interest of the United States that Iran not be armed with nuclear weapons. It is obviously of great importance to Israel that Iran not have nuclear weapons in light of the history--the fact that the Iranian President has called for wiping Israel off the face of the Earth. I have prepared a comprehensive statement of my views on this subject in anticipation of the matter coming to the Senate floor. I will ask unanimous consent to have it printed in the Record. I have been reluctant to call for sanctions because I am a firm believer in diplomacy and have undertaken a number of steps to try to encourage a parliamentary exchange between Iranian Parliamentarians and Members of Congress. I have been working on that for the better part of a decade. The extensive written statement summarizes in some detail those efforts. I have met with the last three Iranian Ambassadors to the United Nations.…”