![](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2006\/09\/us-congress.jpg\" "\\"us-congress\\"")
WASHINGTON \u2014 Support for increasing sanctions on Iran seemed entrenched in the lower chamber of Congress on Wednesday as most members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed support for tough sanctions and skepticism about nuclear talks during a hearing timed to coincide with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani\u2019s 100th day in office.<\/p>\n
In his opening statement, committee chairman Rep. Ed Royce argued that \u201csanctions have forced Iran to the table; we should build upon this success with additional measures \u2014 like those now pending in the Senate \u2014 to compel Iran to make meaningful and lasting concessions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Iranian regime hasn\u2019t paused its nuclear program, why should we pause our sanctions efforts, as the administration is pressuring Congress to do?\u201d Royce said.<\/p>\n
Ranking member Rep. Eliot Engel, one of the most hawkish Democratic members on the issue of Iran, also argued against easing sanctions in his opening statement.
\u201cThis intense pressure brought Iran back to the negotiating table, and it must be maintained \u2013 and strengthened if necessary \u2014 until Iran has taken verifiable steps to freeze and even dismantle its nuclear weapons program,\u201d Engel argued.<\/p>\n
Rank-and-file members from both parties also said they supported more sanctions and some criticized the administration for even negotiating with Iran at all.
\u201cWe are going in exactly the wrong direction with Iran right now,\u201d said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. \u201cThis overly optimistic round of negotiations have left us with nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI get so upset over the fact that this administration thinks if they put heir arms around these terrorists they\u2019re going to sing kumbaya and everything\u2019s going to be fine,\u201d said Rep. Tom Marino.<\/p>\n
\u201cVive la France!\u201d said Rep. Juan Vargas, in a reference to reports that France\u2019s opposition to a draft deal in the last round of talks in Geneva prevented the negotiating parties from coming to an agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI urge our Senate colleagues to continue to advance on sanctions legislation, because the crushing economic sanctions are forcing the Iranians to the negotiating table,\u201d said Rep. Ted Deutch.<\/p>\n
The administration has been pressuring Congress to hold off on a new round of Iran sanctions until after the completion of nuclear negotiations. President Obama and Vice President Biden have been personally calling senators to ask them to delay new sanctions legislation that is currently in committee. Senate Banking Committee chairman Tim Johnson will wait to decide whether to pursue the new bill until after Secretary of State John Kerry briefs the committee on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Royce said the measure being considered in the Senate Banking Committee was seen as the \u201cmost direct\u201d way for the legislation he authored with Engel to move through the Senate.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we have a situation where the Secretary of State is meeting with Senate Banking asking them not to bring up our measure, which we feel would bring additional pressure on the regime in Iran in order to force that regime to comply with the basic strategy necessary to at least stop the centrifuges from spinning,\u201d Royce said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON — Support for increasing sanctions on Iran seemed entrenched in the lower chamber of Congress on Wednesday as most members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed support for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[175],"class_list":["post-15227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nuclear","tag-updated"],"yoast_head":"\n