August Pfluger: “The theme that we are talking about right now is a complete overturning of a maximum pressure campaign on Iran from 2017…”

“The theme that we are talking about right now is a complete overturning of a maximum pressure campaign on Iran from 2017 through the end of 2020. In 2021, we began a new theme, and that theme was appeasement: appeasement of Iran; appeasement of its policies; an overturning of the JCPOA; a message to the world that: We trust you, Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the globe. We don't think you are going to do anything. That strategy has clearly not worked. Mr. Speaker, I want to go back in time to September 11, 2023. Instead of mourning our Nation and standing firm against terrorism, the President of the United States took the anniversary of 9/11 as an opportunity to give Iran, the world's leading sponsor of terrorism, a $6 billion present. It is no coincidence that shortly following this foreign policy faux pas, the Iranian-backed terrorist group was emboldened to launch a barbaric attack against our democratic ally, Israel, murdering over 1,400 innocent civilians and abducting hundreds of hostages, some of whom still remain inside Gaza. In the 6 months following those attacks on that fateful morning of October 7, Iran's proxies--Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, the Shia militia groups, and others--have continued carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel and the Middle East, culminating in Iran's direct and unprecedented attack this past weekend against Israel.…”