Scott, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Solidify U.S. Sanctions on Iran

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) introduced the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (SISA) to make the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 permanent. With Iran continuing to pursue a nuclear weapon and carrying out malign activity in the Middle East, our sanctions regime is our best tool to restrain Iran’s ability to fund operations that endanger Israel, Arab partners, and even U.S. military personal.

“The United States, Israel, and our Arab partners remain concerned about the looming threat that a nuclear Iran poses to the stability of the region,” said Senator Scott. “U.S. sanctions are a necessary deterrent for this dangerous and unstable regime, which is why my bill will make the cornerstone of sanctions on Iran permanent.”

“Iran has repeatedly undertaken destabilizing activities in the Middle East. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that we continue U.S. sanctions on Iran, which are important for restraining Iran’s ability to pursue weapons and technology that threaten our national security and the safety of Israel, our strongest partner in the region,” said Senator Hassan.

“I’m pleased to be an original co-sponsor of the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act of 2022, a bill that will make permanent the Iran Sanctions Act, a cornerstone law in America’s broader sanctions program against Iran’s terror-sponsoring regime,” said Senator Hagerty. “As Iran increases its nuclear and ballistic missile threats and its support for terrorism and militancy in the Middle East, the United States should not ease sanctions and make it easier for the regime to continue its malign behavior.”

“The Iran Sanctions Act helped bring Iran to the negotiating table. For decades, Congress has extended this critical legislation on a bipartisan basis,” said Senator Rosen. “With Iran closer than ever to a nuclear weapon, I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that ensures we maintain the full range of our economic and diplomatic tools to prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and FDD Action have expressed support for this legislation.

Background:

In 1996, Congress passed the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which allowed the president to impose secondary sanctions on Iran’s energy sector. Throughout the years, ISA provisions were expanded to include other Iranian industries. ISA consists of “triggers” that place sanctions on firms or entities that violate U.S. sanctions under this law. With looming uncertainty about Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon, it is essential that the United States solidifies its pivotal sanctions to apply pressure towards a rogue regime.

Click here to read the bill.

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