Issue Position: International Affairs & Foreign Policy - Iran

Issue Position

Iran remains a dangerous actor in the Middle East, and Rep. Eshoo has been firm in her belief that more needs to be done to keep the repressive and dangerous Iranian regime from obtaining nuclear weapons of mass destruction, as well as force them to halt their support of terrorism by exerting outside pressure to promote democratic reform without military intervention.

In the 109th Congress, Rep. Eshoo cosponsored H.R. 282, the Iran Freedom Support Act , which passed the House in April 2006 by an overwhelming vote of 397-21. Under the Iran Freedom Support Act, U.S. sanctions imposed on the Iranian regime would be strengthened in certain areas until and unless Iran curtails its sponsorship of international terrorism and abandons its nuclear program. The bill also provides assistance to pro-democracy forces and groups in Iran, and funds independent media broadcasts into Iran.

Rep. Eshoo has long been an outspoken opponent of preemptive and unilateral military intervention, however, she is vocal in insisting renegade regimes in the Middle East cease their support for terrorism and their efforts to further destabilize the region. Only a broad international diplomatic push will accomplish these objectives, and the U.S. must remain a committed leader in this effort.

To underscore this commitment, Rep. Eshoo is a cosponsor of H.R. 1400, the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007. H.R. 1400 specifically states that the President does not have the authority to attack Iran without seeking Congressional approval. The legislation also establishes and strengthens additional U.S. sanctions on the Iranian regime for its sponsorship and support of international terrorism. H.R. 1400 also restricts our nuclear cooperation with countries that assist Iran's nuclear program.

Progress is being made in bringing international pressure to bear against Iran's dangerous nuclear ambitions. In an encouraging show of global unity, the U.S. Security Council in February 2006 called upon Iran to suspend its nuclear program and implement transparency measures to allow the international community to inspect its facilities. Because the Iranian government has continually failed to heed these warnings, the U.N. imposed sanctions on Iran in December 2006.

U.S.-Iran relations have been strained since the current Iranian regime came to power nearly 30 years ago. Nonetheless, the people of Iran and the United States share a common interest in mutual security and Rep. Eshoo has been a consistent voice in favor of non-military intervention to promote stability and democratization in Iran.

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