"The Iranian regime's expanding political and military involvement
across the Middle East and South Asia is a force to be reckoned with," Ms.
Ros-Lehtinen said. "But in reality, the best way to stop Iran from obtaining
nuclear capabilities is to impose strong sanctions on the regime and to do
so now."
Over the last 12 years, Congress has imposed sanctions meant to block
foreign investment in Iran's energy infrastructure. The House and Senate
have also banned dual-use
exports to Iran, including those nuclear material or technology.
"There have been so many legislative measures, but so little real action
on the part of the U.S. in response to the Iranian regime's dangerous
deeds," Ms. Ros-Lehtinen said. "The door has remained open for foreign
investment in Iran — no matter what destabilizing actions Iran has taken —
and the U.S. has done little, if anything, to stop such investment."
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen blamed China and Russia for blocking or severely
weakening UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against Iran. Both
Beijing and Moscow have been deemed leading contractors to Iran's missile
and nuclear programs.
Over the last year, the State Department has been seeking waivers for
U.S. sanctions on Iran. The department has refused to implement U.S.
sanctions on foreign companies that invest $20 million into Iran's energy
sector.
"Great damage has been done to the credibility of our policies toward
Iran because we have passed legislation but did not put it into practice,"
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen said. "It is long past time for a better approach, one
based on the true nature of the Iranian regime and the threat it poses to
all of us."
