Guest Blogger: Rep. Ros-Lehtinen on Time to Take Action on Iran

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen / November 03, 2009

For too long, the Iranian regime has played hide and seek with the U.S. and other countries regarding its nuclear weapons program. Last week, the House took a critical step to end this deadly game.

Just days before the 30th anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs took up the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act. This bipartisan legislation, which Rep. Howard Berman, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and I introduced, and which enjoys the support of well over 300 co-sponsors, targets one of Iran’s major weaknesses, namely its need to import gasoline and other refined petroleum products. By placing financial sanctions on U.S. and foreign companies providing Iran with this crucial resource, Iran’s already weak economy would be crippled.

We must take tough measures such as this because it is now clear that the diplomatic route alone will not work. The revelation that Tehran has been building a second secret uranium enrichment plant is proof that the policy of “accommodation and concessions” pursued by the Bush Administration in its second term and augmented by the policy of “direct engagement with the Iranian regime” followed by the Obama Administration has failed. (more…)