GOP senators plan to prep new sanctions against Iran
GOP senators are planning to develop a new set of sanctions to impose against Iran as a consequence for its violation of United Nations resolutions.
"We're going to be introducing sanctions legislation, that I'm working on, to impose tough new sanctions on Iran for its for behavior on its ballistic missile program and also to continue to hold Iran accountable for its support for terrorism," Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, said at a press conference with her Republican colleagues.
Iran tested ballistic missiles on Oct. 10 and Nov. 21, which were in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution that was adopted in 2010 that bans Iran from undertaking "any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology."
"Let's just be clear, the only purpose for testing a ballistic missile is to potentially, at some point, deliver a nuclear weapon," she added.
Ayotte, who's up for reelection in November, said she hopes the Obama administration ramps up its sanctions against Iran for the missile tests.
The Iranian nuclear deal officially took effect last weekend, which will require Iran to continue to curb its nuclear program. As a result of Iran satisfying the requirements of the nuclear agreement, the White House lifted economic sanctions, allowing Iran access to billions of dollars in assets.
At the same time, the Obama administration on Sunday announced new sanctions to target a number of people and companies involved in Iran's ballistic missile program.
"I think the ballistic missile designations demonstrate that even as we make progress in all these different areas, we still have the ability to see that there are consequences for a ballistic missile program that violates international law, or, for instance, support for terrorism," an administration official told reporters on Sunday.
But the GOP senators on Thursday said those new sanctions aren't strong enough, and Republicans won't be able to count on the administration.
"They won't do anything. They won't do a damn thing. We will have to try and act as a Congress," said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that it's likely that some of the billions of dollars in sanctions relief will end up in the hands of terrorists.