Congressional Record Statement of Senator Russ Feingold
On Iran’s Efforts to Obtain Nuclear Weapons and the Need
for Concerted International Action
January 31, 2006
Mr. FEINGOLD
Mr. President, as a known sponsor of international terrorism, and in
light of the president of Iran’s recent apocalyptic statements
calling for the destruction of Israel, Iran must not be allowed to develop
nuclear weapons. The international community must respond quickly and
decisively to Iran’s gross disregard of international treaties
and obligations and to its concerted and malicious efforts to develop
the capability to create nuclear weapons.
The international community must take concerted and decisive action
to prevent Iran from furthering its nuclear research and technology
development. In its forthcoming meeting on February 2, 2006, the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors should heed the calls
by Russia, China, the European Union, and the United States to reaffirm
its findings that Iran has blatantly violated its international obligations,
recognize the grave nature of Iran’s recent actions, and refer
Iran to the United Nations Security Council. The Security Council should
then speak with one voice to condemn Iran’s actions and send a
clear signal that continued defiance of the international community
will not be tolerated.
It is essential that the Security Council approve specific actions
to prevent the furthering of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The
Security Council specifically, and the international community generally,
must recognize the potentially devastating link between the violent
and defiant rhetoric of Iran’s president and his regime’s
determined effort to undermine approved and transparent methods of developing
civilian nuclear technology for energy use.
Congress can also take steps to help stop or slow Iran’s acquisition
of nuclear and other WMD-related technology, including adding teeth
to export control legislation such as the Iran and Syria Nonproliferation
Act. The Iran Nonproliferation Enhancement Act (S.1976) that Senator
Kyl and I introduced late last year would do just that. It would toughen
the ISNA by requiring rather than merely authorizing sanctions on proliferators,
extending sanctions to the parent companies, and increasing the types
of sanctions that apply to proliferators. By adopting this legislation,
we would be sending a crystal clear message to would-be proliferators:
if you choose to assist Iran in developing nuclear or other WMD-related
capabilities, you are also choosing to forgo doing business with the
United States.
History teaches us that we cannot ignore the stated intent of those
who seek to destroy nations. A nuclear-armed Iran would pose a grave
threat to the region, to Israel, and to the entire international community.
A concerted international effort is needed to prevent Iran from procuring
the technology and materiel needed to develop a nuclear weapon. This
effort must begin now, and it must be comprehensive.
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