Washington, DC – Today, the House Democrats made a strong statement in support of principled diplomacy. One hundred fifty members signed a letter led by Representatives Price, Lee, Schakowsky, Meeks, Castro, Sherman and Spanberger urging President-elect Biden to prioritize addressing Iran’s nuclear program by returning to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). President-elect Biden, and his advisors, have repeatedly stated their desire to return to the agreement, should Iran return to compliance with its obligations. This commitment to diplomacy stands in stark contrast to the Iran policy of the Trump administration, whose “maximum pressure” campaign has failed to deliver on any of its twelve objectives. Instead of successfully negotiating a grand bargain that addresses all of the challenges Iran poses, the Trump administration repeatedly brought this country to the brink of war and caused Iran to breach its commitments under the JCPOA, while doing nothing to rein in its support of proxies in the region. The House Democrats’ letter supports the President-elect’s position that the best way to confront Iran is to first address the nuclear issue, and then use that as a foundation for future negotiations.
“This broad group of House Democrats should be commended for standing up and voicing unequivocal support for President-elect Biden’s commitment to a diplomacy-first Iran policy,” said Foreign Policy for America Executive Director Andrew Albertson. “President-elect Biden has promised to return to the JCPOA on a compliance-for-compliance basis with Iran, and to use that as a starting point for further diplomacy. After four years of reckless actions, we now have a critical opportunity to return to a smart, diplomacy-driven approach, together with our allies.”
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