Senate

Senators back state, local sanctions against Iran

by Jordain Carney - 12/02/15 11:59 AM ET

A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants the Senate to endorse continued sanctions by state and local governments against Iran.

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who is running for president, Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) have introduced a resolution that would “strongly support” their sanctions against Iran for any terrorism-related activities, human rights violations or other illegal actions.

{mosads}The resolution also argues that the Iran nuclear deal, reached earlier this year, doesn’t prevent a state or local government’s ability to enact sanctions against Iran.

Dozens of states already passed Iran-related sanctions targeting specific parts of the Iranian economy or companies that do business with the country.

Rubio touted his efforts while in the Florida legislature, saying that he “led our state’s push … requiring the Florida pension program to divest from companies linked to the terrorist regime in Iran.”

The legislation comes as the Foreign Relations Committee is expected to get a closed-door briefing on Wednesday on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s report of a potential military dimension to Tehran’s nuclear program. Rubio is a member of that committee.

The briefing is part of the committee’s oversight of the long-term nuclear agreement reached earlier this year.

Manchin, one of four Senate Democrats who opposed the nuclear deal, added that lawmakers “must do everything in our power to ensure that this regime is not able to use the money that it will receive through the Iran nuclear deal to continue its deplorable terrorist action.”

Lawmakers have focused on how to extend sanctions against Iran in the wake of the agreement. Kirk has introduced legislation with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) that would extend the Iran Sanctions Act, currently set to expire next year, through 2026.

Supporters of extending the law, which includes sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program, argue that an extension is needed so that the United States will be able to “snap back” sanctions if Iran violates the nuclear deal.

“As the Iran nuclear deal hands over more than $100 billion to the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism, it’s critical for the United States to do all it can to prevent Iran from escalating its support for terrorism, militancy and human rights abuses in the Middle East and beyond,” Kirk, who is up for reelection, said.

Tags Joe Manchin Marco Rubio Mark Kirk Robert Menendez