Hoeven Joins Cruz in Introducing Legislation to Prevent the Biden Administration from Waiving Sanctions on Iran Nuclear Activities

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today joined Senator Ted Cruz in introducing legislation to prohibit the Biden administration from waiving Congressional sanctions that prohibit cooperation on Iran’s nuclear program. 

“Instead of maintaining strong sanctions to ensure maximum pressure on the Iranian regime, the Biden administration is seeking to dismantle these sanctions. That is the completely wrong approach,” said Hoeven. “Our legislation would stop the Biden administration from waiving these sanctions. We need to keep sanctions with no exceptions to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.”

Last month, the Biden administration notified Congress it was giving Iran and its international partners—including Russia—a waiver for seven civil nuclear activities, which Iran uses to build its nuclear program. The congressionally mandated sanctions, which were waived by the Obama administration when it implemented the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action were reinstated under the Trump administration.

This week the Biden administration confirmed that the waivers will allow Russia to conduct projects with Iran valued at $10 billion.

This comes as part of Hoeven’s efforts to push back on Iran and keep strong sanctions in place. To that end, the senator:

• Helped introduce the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2021, legislation that would enable Congress to approve or block any effort by the Biden administration to suspend or terminate U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime.
• Pressed President Biden to comply with the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA), which Hoeven cosponsored in the Senate and helped pass in 2015.
• The law requires the president to submit any Iran deal to Congress for evaluation.
• Hoeven and his colleagues have committed to block any Iran nuclear deal that is not submitted.
• Helped introduce legislation to prohibit the U.S. from importing Iranian and Venezuelan crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products and liquified natural gas. 

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