Heinrich, Luján, Colleagues Urge President Biden To Return To Iran Nuclear Agreement Under A Compliance For Compliance Approach

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), along with Senate Democratic colleagues, sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing the urgent need to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to peacefully and effectively stem the threat of Iran's nuclear program.

In the letter, the senators emphasized the importance of also addressing Iran's taking of U.S. hostages as well as destabilization of the region through cyberattacks, support for militant groups, and ballistic missile development with similar urgency.

In 2018, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the JCPOA despite the deal's success at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability. His failed "maximum pressure" strategy led to Iran having 14 times the level of Low Enriched Uranium it had under the JCPOA. This week, the U.S. and Iran are continuing indirect talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the JCPOA, which is supported by the other members of deal including the United Kingdom, China, France, Germany and Russia.

"While the damage of the last four years has left our country facing numerous challenges across the globe, there is no question that one of your early pressing national security priorities should be to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to address the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program," the senators wrote. "We strongly support returning to the JCPOA and using a "compliance for compliance' approach as a starting point to reset U.S. relations with Iran. Should Iran be willing to return to compliance with the limitations set by the JCPOA, the United States should be willing to rejoin the deal and provide the sanctions relief required under the agreement."

The letter, led by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), was also signed by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Baldwin (D-Minn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

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