Resolutions in the House and Senate call for increased economic, political and diplomatic pressure on Iran.

Background
As Iran continues to defy the international community in its pursuit of nuclear weapons capability, it is imperative that we maintain economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on the regime in Tehran to meet the demands of the IAEA and the UN Security Council to halt its enrichment of uranium.

On May 22, 2008, Representative Gary Ackerman introduced H.CON.RES.362, and it is currently in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The resolution currently has 208 co-sponsors. This resolution calls for: 

¢       The President to "initiate an international effort to immediately and dramatically increase the economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on Iran to verifiably suspend its nuclear enrichment activities."

¢       Sanctions on banks, energy companies and all companies that continue to do business with Iran 's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

¢       Restrictions of international movement of all Iranian officials not involved in negotiating the suspension of Iran 's nuclear program.

To read the full text of the resolution and the list of sponsors click here. The related resolution in the Senate, S.Res.580, was introduced by Senator Evan Bayh on June 2nd.

Action Needed:
Thank Congressmen Akin, Carnahan and Clay for signing on as co-sponsors to H.CON.RES.362  (Congressmen Akin and Carnahan’s offices informed us this week that they are signing on and their names should appear online on the co-sponsor list  within a week.)

Urge Senators Bond and McCaskill to support and cosponsor S.Res.580.

Congressman William Lacy Clay, Jr. (D-District 1)
Washington Office: 202-225-2406
St. Louis Office: 314- 367-1970

Congressman Todd Akin (R-District 2)
Washington Office: 202-225-2561
St. Louis Office: 314-590-0029          

Congressman Russ Carnahan (D-District 3)
Washington Office: 202-225-2671
St. Louis Office: 314-962-1523

Senator Claire McCaskill (D)
Washington Office: 202-224-6154
St. Louis Office: 314-621-8227

Senator Christopher S. (Kit) Bond (R)
Washington Office: 202-224-5721
St. Louis Office: 314-725-4484

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E.U. Backs Sanctions on Iran, Freezes Bank Assets
Washington Post
An increasingly hard-line European stance complements continuing efforts by a group comprising the United States , Russia , China , France , Britain , Germany and the E.U. to persuade Iran to stop enriching uranium in exchange for a package of political and economic concessions.

On June 12, the group proposed wide-ranging negotiations on a broad array of issues, but stipulated as a precondition that Iran had to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, steps that can be part of a nuclear energy or weapons program.

Iran has consistently refused to meet that demand… To read the full article from the Washington Post click here. 

Can Syria Avoid Sanctions With a UN Nuclear Inspection
Christian Science Monitor
International nuclear detectives are at work in the Syrian sands following American allegations of covert nuclear activity, in a trip that could well determine Syria 's international fate…  On Sunday, Der Spiegel, a German news weekly, reported that Syria , North Korea , and Iran were jointly developing a nuclear reactor to build weapons-grade plutonium at the location.  To read more on the background of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections that took place this week in Syria click here.

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