CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement after U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (U.N.) Samantha Power confirmed Iran violated a U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) banning ballistic missile testing:
“The U.S. commitment to nonproliferation is meaningless if Iran can violate its international commitments without consequences,” said Corker. “This serious violation requires immediate action by the administration to deter Iran’s behavior. Additionally, because Congress forced the administration to accept rigorous congressional oversight through the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (Corker-Cardin), the president must provide detailed information every six months on Iran’s ballistic missile program and any illicit attempts to advance it. This information coupled with expedited procedures for reimposing sanctions after a material breach by Iran gives Congress continued leverage to hold Tehran accountable.”
On Wednesday, Senator Corker, along with committee members U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), wrote a letter to Secretary Kerry seeking a determination on whether Iran’s test of a medium-range ballistic missile this month violated UNSCR 1929 and how the U.S. would respond.
The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, coauthored by Senators Corker and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), requires the administration to certify every 90 days that Iran is in compliance with the nuclear agreement. A failure to provide the certification or a material breach by Iran would make available expedited procedures for consideration of legislation in Congress to reimpose sanctions. An additional semi-annual report from the administration will also provide detailed information regarding Iran’s nuclear-related activities, including work on ballistic missiles.
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