Obama’s reckless Iran deal leads to renewed ballistic missile program

On Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards test-fired two ballistic missiles. On one of those missiles, the phrase “Israel should be wiped off the earth” was written in Hebrew. Shockingly, according to today’s Washington Post story, the U.S. State Department said it does not consider the missile tests a violation of the disastrous nuclear agreement reached last year, as the agreement does not address missiles. This is just the latest aggressive action by Iran, and illustrates that President Obama’s nuclear deal is a national security disaster that endangers the United States, Israel, and other allies.

• Previously, the U.N. Security Council banned missile testing by Iran. That ban was lifted after Obama’s deal with Iran was finalized.

o   It was replaced with a new resolution calling on Iran “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.”

o   This language is allowing Iran to contend its missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads, despite exceeding international standards for nuclear capable missiles.

• This is just the latest in a series of moves by Iran that illustrate its disregard for their deal with President Obama, as well as the United Nations.

o   In December, a United Nations Security Council sanctions committee determined that Iran violated Security Council resolution 1929 by test-launching a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

o   In January, Iran took 10 U.S. sailors captive in the Persian Gulf, recording video of them held at gunpoint on their knees, and being made to apologize for the camera.

• In February, House Democrats voted against the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act, which would allow sanctions on Iran and other financial institutions to be lifted only if President Obama certifies that the institutions have not knowingly funded Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards, foreign terrorist organizations, or anyone sanctioned in connection with Iran’s weapons of mass destruction.

Background:

Iran vows to keep firing ballistic missiles. “On Wednesday, the Revolutionary Guards fired two ballistic missiles, including one with graffiti saying “Israel should be wiped off the earth” written in Hebrew on it…The State Department said it does not consider the missile tests a violation of the landmark nuclear agreement reached last year, which lifted international sanctions against Iran in exchange for scaling back its nuclear program. The agreement does not explicitly address missiles. There had been a ban on missile testing, but it was lifted by the U.N. Security Council after the deal was finalized. In its place came a new resolution that ‘calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.’” (Carol Morello, The Washington Post, 3/10/16)

Kerry: Some Iran sanctions relief likely to go to terrorists. “It’s likely that some of the billions of dollars in sanctions relief granted to Iran under a landmark nuclear deal will go to groups deemed to be terrorists, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday…‘I think that some of it will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists,’ he told CNBC television in an interview.” (Matthew Lee, Associated Press, 1/21/16)

Experts: Iran Missile Launch Violated UN Resolution. “Iran violated a UN resolution in October when it test-launched a medium-range missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, a UN panel of experts has concluded in a report that could lead to sanctions. Britain, France, Germany and the United States had asked a UN Security Council sanctions committee to investigate the launch of the Emad missile on Oct. 10, three months after the historic nuclear deal was reached.” (Agence France-Presse, Defense News, 12/15/15)

White House threatens veto over GOP Iran Bill. “President Obama has threatened to veto a House Republican bill aimed at limiting his ability to lift sanctions on Iran under the nuclear deal struck last year…The bill comes as billions of dollars worth of sanctions are set to be lifted in the coming weeks. Under the deal, the U.S. and other world powers involved in negotiating it will remove sanctions against Iran after Tehran fulfills certain steps in rolling back its nuclear program. The House GOP bill would prevent the president from removing certain Iranian individuals and entities from receiving sanctions unless the administration can certify that they are not terror financiers, human rights abusers or involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.” (Susan Crabtree, Washington Examiner, 1/12/16)

House of Representatives – Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act Roll Call