American Lawmakers' Proposal to Sanction Iran's Missile Development Program

Tom Cotton, a Republican senator from Arkansas, has introduced the "Prohibition of Iranian Ballistic Missiles or Drones" bill aimed at strengthening and enforcing sanctions against the development and transfer of long-range missiles and drones by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a statement released on Thursday, November 16, 2023, Senator Cotton said this bill enhances necessary sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran and will better protect the U.S. and its allies from current drone attacks and future missile strikes. The bill notes that the Islamic Republic of Iran is advancing its intercontinental ballistic missile development program and is arming Hamas and Russia with kamikaze drones, providing weapons to its proxy terrorist forces to attack American forces in the Middle East. The text of the bill criticizes the Biden administration for not taking sufficient action to prevent attacks by Iranian proxy groups on American forces. Elise Stefanik, a representative from New York who is collaborating with Senator Cotton on the introduction of this bill, emphasized that current U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran are ineffective, stating that to deter Iran, sanctions must be strengthened and enforced, and investment in U.S. missile defense systems is necessary. These two American lawmakers assert that the United Nations sanctions that limited Iran's missile development expired on November 17, 2023, and the Biden administration failed to extend these sanctions after their expiration. Previously, the U.S. State Department, when asked about the expiration of Iran's arms limitations and whether this causes concern for the U.S., stated to VOA that President Joe Biden takes the Iranian threat extremely seriously. On October 18, the State Department stated in a written response to VOA: "Under the Biden administration, the United States has taken multiple actions to address Iran's nuclear program, missile and drone development and proliferation, financing of terrorism, and other concerning and destabilizing behaviors domestically, regionally, and globally." The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned several individuals and entities for their involvement in the destabilizing ballistic missile and drone programs of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Pentagon reports that American and coalition forces have been attacked at least 55 times in Iraq and Syria since October 16, following the conflict between Israel and Hamas, resulting in 58 personnel being injured. In response to a series of attacks against American forces in Iraq and Syria, the United States has conducted three airstrikes against Iranian-affiliated militants in Syria. Blinken: Iran's missile activities are "one of the greatest challenges" to international peace and security. The U.S. has sanctioned 20 individuals and entities related to Iran's missile and drone program. Exclusive: U.S. State Department: Sanctions to counter Iran's weapon development remain in place.