Senior American diplomats plan to urge U.S. lawmakers this week to refrain from adding more sanctions against Iran by presenting 'strong arguments.' On Wednesday, December 3, the French news agency reported that Wendy Sherman, the acting Deputy Secretary of State, is leading the diplomats who intend to speak with Congress on this matter. Ms. Sherman has been heading the U.S. negotiating team in the Iran nuclear talks with the 1+5 for several months. The American newspaper 'The Wall Street Journal' reported last Tuesday that Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is currently seeking to impose heavier sanctions on Iran. Mr. Menendez told 'The Wall Street Journal' that if negotiations with the Islamic Republic do not lead to a final agreement by the March 2015 deadline, sanctions against Iran should be increased. He added that 'sanctions brought Iran to the negotiating table, and more sanctions will lead Iran to agree.' According to this report, Robert Menendez intends to attach the request for more sanctions against Iran to a defense budget bill currently under consideration. To prevent this action, Wendy Sherman will hold a closed-door meeting with members of Congress on Thursday. According to Ms. Sherman, imposing further sanctions on Iran could jeopardize months of hard diplomatic efforts. According to the French news agency, Mary Harf, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said on Tuesday regarding Ms. Sherman's upcoming meeting with Congress: 'We will present a very strong argument that now is not the time for new sanctions.' She added: 'We will make this argument publicly, privately, and at all levels because we strongly believe in it.' According to Ms. Harf, senior officials intend to explain to Congress members the 'progress' that has been made in negotiations with Iran over the past months. Iran and the 1+5 group failed to reach a final agreement on their nuclear dispute by the November 24 deadline, and negotiations are set to resume in December.
Wendy Sherman 'Seeks to Prevent Further Sanctions' on Iran in Congress
Wendy Sherman and senior U.S. diplomats are working to persuade Congress not to impose further sanctions on Iran, emphasizing the potential risks to ongoing nuclear negotiations. Senator Robert Menendez is advocating for heavier sanctions if an agreement is not reached by March 2015. This situation is critical as it could impact diplomatic relations and the future of nuclear negotiations.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Wendy Sherman leads U.S. diplomats to prevent Congress from imposing further sanctions on Iran.
- Wendy Sherman meeting U.S. Congress
- Wendy Sherman announce U.S. Congress
- Senator Robert Menendez seek Iran
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. is attempting to balance sanctions with diplomatic efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%