EMET Applauds the Trump Administration for Its Executive Order Restoring Sanctions on Iran

EMET APPLAUDS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR ITS EXECUTIVE ORDER RESTORING SANCTIONS ON IRAN

(Washington, D.C., September 22, 2020) Without a doubt the greatest threat to regional stability in the Middle East, and one of the greatest global threats to stability is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Unfortunately the United States has been forced to stand alone in the United Nations Security Council in demanding that Iran fulfill its obligations under the JCPOA, the Iranian nuclear deal, and in pointing out that Iran has failed to fulfill their commitments under the deal, and that the JCPOA has within it the assurance of “immediate snapback sanctions.”

One of the many fatal flaws of the JCPOA was that there were certain “sunset provisions.” The arms embargo provision is due to expire as early as October 18, 2020, less than one month from now. This would have paved the way for Iran to trade in any matter of conventional and unconventional weapons.

Fortunately, for the region and for the entire world, the United States has acted unilaterally, and in accordance with our rights under UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Yesterday, President Trump signed an Executive Order countering Iran’s nefarious influence in the Middle East by blocking the transfer of any destabilizing conventional weapons and the acquisition of arms and related material, including to Iran’s terrorist proxies throughout the region. The Executive Order also imposes new sanctions on 27 entities and individuals that are connected to Iran’s ongoing nuclear proliferation networks. These actions target the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran for its role in Iran’s nuclear escalation, the Iranian missile organization Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group for facilitating ballistic missile development, and two Iranian entities for their involvement in the transfer and acquisition of conventional arms

Says EMET Founder and President, Sarah Stern, “It is a shame that the United States is forced to stand alone in the Security Council, but we are so proud that the United States has proven, once again, to be the lone moral conscience of the world. It is obvious that Iran has continued to violate the terms of the JCPOA. It bars inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Administration to certain sites (that they have deemed “military” and therefore “off limits to inspectors”). It continues to enrich uranium beyond the specified limits of the JCPOA, and it is now said to have enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb by the end of this year. Beyond that, it is using its vast network of terrorist proxies to export instability, chaos, and bloodshed throughout the world. Today, yet another explosion happened in a Hezbollah-controlled entity in Lebanon, killing 190 people. Perhaps if this Executive Order were enforced, those 190 people would still be alive today. We know that Iran has its fingerprints behind virtually every bloody and destructive action in the region. We are extremely grateful to the Trump administration for this Executive Order. This administration knows, as Winston Churchill so famously said, ‘He who appeases the crocodile is only eaten last.’”