Did you ever have any old records or CDs that just got stuck after a while? When it comes to the United States’ dealings with Iran, it seems like the record is stuck on repeat. Hardly a week goes by without another news story about Iran’s questionable actions on the global stage. The Iran Nuclear Agreement was a bad deal from the start, and one that I firmly opposed. Now, several months into its implementation, it’s easier than ever to see the flaws in this half-baked policy.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy agreed to an $8.6 million dollar purchase of 32 tons of heavy water from Iran, which is an important component in nuclear reactors. It’s perplexing as to why the United States would agree to this purchase, especially when U.S. taxpayer dollars could be used to essentially subsidize Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile program, and other destabilizing activities in the region. Iran is required to diminish supplies of heavy water under the nuclear agreement, but should the United States be paying them to do so?
Furthermore, I am concerned that actions by the Obama Administration may soon open up a path for Iran to access the U.S. dollar in business transactions. Current federal regulations bar the use of the dollar to facilitate trade transactions with Iran, but with much of the world’s international trade being conducted in the U.S. dollar, pressure is building for the dollar to be open for use with Iran. It is imperative that Administration officials ensure that Iran is not able utilize the U.S. financial system.
All the while, Iran continues to conduct ballistic missile tests. Recent tests of missiles with possible nuclear capabilities raise many questions and are in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted last year. However, the cherry on top came just days ago when Iran announced a major ballistic missile test for February 2017. These hostile actions do very little to instill any real confidence in Iran’s commitment to upholding their side of the nuclear agreement and bring into question the Administration’s judgement.
It is increasingly clear that the Obama Administration is reluctant to stand up to the Iranian regime. As Iran violates the terms of this agreement, we must ensure that Americans are not left high and dry. The United States cannot repeatedly reward the Iranian regime’s bad behavior. Turning a blind eye to their misdeeds is not the way forward either. Instead, the federal government must hold Iran accountable for their actions. I will continue working to provide greater oversight of the nuclear agreement to help ensure that our nation is safe from the threats of nations like Iran. This pattern of bad behavior from Iran must not be tolerated.
