ICYMI: Sen. Lieberman Calls For Bipartisan Approach to Iran

(New York, N.Y.) – On Sunday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Chairman Senator Joseph I. Lieberman authored an op-ed in the New York Daily News urging the Biden Administration to restore the bipartisan approach to policy development and negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran that existed prior to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The op-ed comes as the U.S. and Iran are slated for indirect talks today in Vienna. Senator Lieberman urged President Biden to approach any negotiations with the Iranian regime within a bipartisan framework:

“The next best step the Biden administration can take is to engage with Congress to develop a new bipartisan strategy toward Iran. It won’t be easy but it is worth the effort, because achieving a bipartisan policy toward Iran will definitely strengthen America’s hand in the difficult negotiations with Tehran. The recent rejection by the Iranian regime of an offer from the European Union to host an informal discussion with the United States is a reminder of just how difficult Iran will be and why a bipartisan American policy toward Iran is so important.”

Senator Lieberman further outlined Iran’s malign behavior, which remains unchanged, and the need to combat Tehran’s regional aggression:

“In recent weeks alone, Iran has also continued transfers of money and arms to terror organizations that have launched rockets at U.S. armed forces in Iraq; an Iranian plot to attack the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Ethiopia was foiled; an Iranian diplomat was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Belgian court for masterminding an attempted bombing in Paris of a meeting of Iranian dissidents; and a fourth American, Emad Sharghi, was taken hostage.” 

Senator Lieberman concluded with a suggested bipartisan approach for the Biden Administration’s Iran policy that would address the regional realities of 2021, and not 2015: 

“Recognizing that trust must be rebuilt between party leaders in the United States, the Biden administration could announce the principles that will guide its strategy. Among these can be a refusal to provide sanctions relief until the Iranian regime reverses its nuclear violations, stops its proxies from attacking U.S. forces in the region, ends its support for terror groups and releases its hostages. These are principles that are at the core of restoring bipartisan consensus that will address the realities on the ground and the totality of the Iranian threat.”  

To read Senator Lieberman’s op-ed in the New York Daily News, please click here. 

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