Proposed Resolution 'Sanctioning Iran's Missile Program' Approved by House Foreign Affairs Committee

The House Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States approved two proposed measures on Wednesday morning related to Iran's ballistic missile program and the prohibition of lifting U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic. One of these proposals, Resolution 3152, aims to impose sanctions on governments, individuals, and entities that assist the Islamic Republic in acquiring ballistic missiles and developing, transferring, or deploying missiles, as well as providing related goods, technologies, and materials. Resolution 3152, which was proposed to Congress by Michael McCaul last May, was approved in today's committee session. The other proposal, numbered 4691, aimed to require the government to present measures to terminate and lift or waive the U.S. sanctions imposed against Iran, but it was not approved in today's session due to opposition from Democratic members. Voice of America reporter spoke with Michael McCaul, the committee chairman, before the session about the proposed resolutions. McCaul stated, "The United Nations ban on Iran's ballistic missiles expires in October, so we are working to restore and continue that ban on their ability to have ballistic missiles under sanctions. As you know, we also requested a confidential briefing from the State Department regarding Mr. Malley, the Special Representative for Iran, who apparently has violated some security issues, and we want to know what those are and how serious they are." The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee added, "Iran has become more aggressive and bolder, and as you know, they are navigating their ships much more aggressively in the Persian Gulf, and we have significant concerns, and we will also respond to this." The Voice of America reporter also inquired about the opinion of Republican committee member Michael Waltz regarding this matter and the Biden administration's position on diplomacy with Tehran. Waltz responded, "I think we should always give diplomacy a chance, but I do not believe this regime is truly serious about negotiating when the Ayatollah does not even allow his negotiators to speak directly with us. Negotiations are to see what kind of economic assistance the regime can gain, and unfortunately, what the regime cares about the most is not its people but just getting money. So we should not back down from any kind of pressure. We should not give up our demand that the regime stop hostage diplomacy. Right now, as we speak, they are holding Americans hostage. The regime must retreat from using terrorism as a tool of foreign policy, stop using proxy forces in the region, especially in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, and become a responsible partner in the world. They must stop exploiting their own people, especially young girls who are just protesting and asking for a better future for themselves. So for all these reasons, I think we must take a hard stance against this regime and its abuses." Regarding the proposed resolution requiring the government to provide measures for lifting or waiving the U.S. sanctions against Iran for congressional review, Waltz told Voice of America, "I think Congress should have its voice, and I am always concerned about reducing sanctions. The fact that the government is looking to lift sanctions, especially against regimes in Iran that are developing ballistic missile programs in violation of UN resolutions, I will support the resolution raised in Congress." Gregory Meeks, a senior Democratic committee member, also supported confronting Tehran's missile activities and the sanctions resolution in this regard but opposed the proposed Resolution 4691, stating, "Requiring the government to obtain congressional approval before lifting or waiving sanctions creates a dangerous precedent for diplomacy and ties the government's hands, and added that Congress does not have such a duty." The next step regarding today's committee resolution is to refer it for review and approval in the full House of Representatives and the Senate. The UN Secretary-General published his fifteenth six-month report on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on July 6, in five sections and 22 paragraphs, urging the Islamic Republic to refrain from further violating the JCPOA.