Criticism in the US Congress Regarding the Possible Continued Access of Iran to SWIFT

The Associated Press reports that some of Donald Trump's biggest supporters in the US Congress are concerned that the sanctions set to be imposed against Iran early next month may not be 'strict enough.' According to the report, conservative lawmakers and various advisors have expressed worries that the Trump administration might backtrack on its promise to exert 'maximum pressure' on Iran. The potential continuation of Iran's access to the SWIFT network has particularly drawn their severe criticism. The 'Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication,' known as SWIFT, is the financial messaging system that connects each country's banks with international banks, and cutting Iran's access to this system could impact areas such as drug imports. The concerns of these lawmakers have even led them to focus on a proposal being prepared by Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas. According to this proposal, if SWIFT does not cut off Iran's access to its system, the US government would be required to impose sanctions on SWIFT members, including some American banks. Following the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, part of the sanctions that had been lifted under this agreement were reinstated last month, and the second round, targeting oil and banking transactions, is set to be implemented on November 5. Richard Goldberg, a former aide to a Republican senator and a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told the Associated Press: 'President Trump has called for maximum pressure, not semi-maximum pressure... and maximum pressure includes cutting off Iranian banks from SWIFT.' In recent weeks, the US President and several of his administration's officials have emphasized increasing pressure on Iran. For instance, Donald Trump recently stated that all sanctions against Iran would be reinstated from November 5, asserting he would do whatever it takes to counter the 'malicious actions' of the Islamic Republic. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton have also spoken about 'maximum pressure' on Iran. However, according to the Associated Press, some of Trump's supporters, known for their hardline approach towards the Islamic Republic, despite praising the President's stance on this issue, are concerned that the US Treasury Department may not prevent Iran's access to the SWIFT network during the second round of sanctions. The report states that while the US Treasury has emphasized the continuation of a 'severe economic pressure campaign against Iran,' it has remained silent regarding Iran's access to SWIFT. Opponents of cutting Iran's access to SWIFT within the US government argue that such an action could, firstly, make it harder to monitor Iran's transactions due to Iran turning to alternative mechanisms, and secondly, complicate access for Iranians to humanitarian goods, such as medicine. Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former Treasury official and current advisor at the Center for a New American Security, told the Associated Press that not cutting off Iran's access to SWIFT reinforces the notion that 'the United States is critical of the regime, not the Iranian people.'