March 04, 2020

Duckworth Statement on Reports Iran Now Has Fuel Needed for Nuclear Weapon

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement in response to public reports that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles have tripled, which experts suggest could be an indication that the Trump administration’s maximum pressure campaign—including Trump’s decision to unilaterally withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement—is backfiring:

“The JCPOA nuclear agreement was effective in halting Iran’s dangerous development of nuclear weapons—which is why even senior members of Donald Trump’s own team like former Defense Secretary Mattis opposed unilaterally withdrawing from it. It was not difficult to foresee the consequences of Donald Trump’s petulant and impulsive action: Iran resuming stockpiling fuel and once again moving closer to developing a nuclear bomb. And that’s exactly what is happening now,” said Senator Duckworth. “Instead of launching more missile strikes with dubious legal justification and bringing both our countries to the brink of war, the United States should be doing everything we can to curb Iranian nuclear ambitions through diplomatic efforts that have already proven effective. Mitch McConnell needs to let us vote on the Iran Diplomacy Act now.”

-30-