US Senators Urge Biden to Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons

Twenty-five American senators signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Biden has previously stated that his administration will not allow the Islamic Republic to obtain nuclear weapons. The letter was signed by both Republican and Democratic senators, including John Kennedy, James Lankford, and Kirsten Gillibrand. The letter states, "The regime in Iran continues to suppress dissent at home and export its malign influence abroad, thereby solidifying its position as a primary destabilizing force in the Middle East." According to a statement from Senator Kennedy's website, the letter references a February report from the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the discovery of uranium particles enriched to 84%, stating, "Iran is now capable of enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels of 90% at its discretion. As Colin Kahl, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, has publicly stated, Iran can enrich uranium to sufficient weapon-grade levels for a bomb in less than 12 days." The senators told the US President that efforts to deter Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities must be strengthened. They stated that we must make it clear to the Islamic Republic that further advancements in its nuclear program will face unified international action. They asserted that Iran must be punished for advancing its nuclear program and that the People's Republic of China should not be allowed to "accelerate Iran's destabilizing behavior." These 25 senators urged Joe Biden to restore a "deterrence posture" and encouraged him to secure commitments from US allies (who remain in the JCPOA) that if Iran exceeds weapons-grade enrichment levels, the trigger mechanism for the immediate reinstatement of UN sanctions included in Security Council Resolution 2231 will be utilized. On June 7, a group of lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, from both the Democratic and Republican parties, also urged Joe Biden to increase efforts to "deter the Islamic Republic" from acquiring "nuclear weapons," including cooperating with European allies to "reinstate" UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The authors of these letters asked Biden to prioritize an "active deterrence posture" and manage the strengthening of the international community's resolve for this goal. This letter comes amid various reports of intensified diplomatic efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran, but a White House spokesperson emphasized on June 14 that "our policy regarding Iran has not changed, and we have been very clear about this."