Political Quotes

“We all agree that interactions by the international financial community with Iran's financial system should be severely reduced, not least because such interactions pose serious risks for the international banking system. But we do not want to do it in a way that could have negative consequences for some of our closest allies or for ourselves. We want to be careful that we don't end up shooting ourselves in the head and Iran in the foot. I know my colleagues have worked in the last week, including over the Thanksgiving holidays, to make the provision more effective and to provide for additional targeting by the President, building in a national security waiver, a lag period for implementation of the crude oil sanctions, and other measures. But I think the provision could use further refinement. That is why I had hoped to be able to address this issue through the more deliberative committee process. Even though I have concerns about some of the effects of this amendment in its current form, I will support it as a signal of my support for tightening the financial and economic noose around Tehran and for further isolating its government as a means of prompting it to turn aside from its current path and come clean on its nuclear program. Even so, these implementation issues should be addressed in conference prior to the legislation being finalized.…”