Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) issued the following statement today regarding the President’s decision not to recertify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA):
“While the Iran nuclear deal was not perfect, it was the best mechanism, painstakingly negotiated by the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, to stop Iran from continuing to develop nuclear weapons. This agreement is critical not only to the safety of our ally, Israel, but also to halting a potential nuclear arms race in the Middle East. It included a rigorous inspection regime, the ability to automatically force sanctions back on Iran in the case of its failure to comply with the agreement, and came with the legitimacy and full force of the support of the President of the United States.
“It is universally agreed – including by President Trump’s Defense Secretary, Secretary of State, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – that the Iranians have complied with the terms of the agreement thus far. It is clear that the agreement significantly reduced Iran’s ability to acquire nuclear weapons, which inarguably has made the United States and the world safer.
“President Trump’s unilateral move to decertify Iran’s compliance with the agreement – with no evidence whatsoever – not only diminishes America’s leadership in the world, destabilizes the Middle East, and makes Israel less safe, but it also makes it significantly more difficult for any country to trust that an agreement with the United States, especially with respect to nuclear nonproliferation, is legitimate.
“While Congress must continue to use every tool available to halt Iran’s support of terrorism, we also must uphold this agreement, despite this very reckless action by President Trump.”
Issues: 115th Congress, Defense