Issues

Iran

Reimposition of Sanctions on Iran

Earlier this year, President Trump made the valiant decision to withdrawfrom the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the Historically Bad Iran Deal.

Since the very first rumors of negotiations surfaced, CUFI consistently and unequivocally opposed the Iran deal, making clear that it would empower the Islamic Republic while imperiling Israel, the United States and our allies around the globe.

As troubling reports about the substance of negotiations between world powers and the Islamic Republic trickled out, CUFI took a bold and direct stance in opposition to the agreement.  When the deal was announced in July of 2015, 5,000 CUFI activists, in Washington for the CUFI Annual Summit, immediately went to the Hill to lobby against it.

Months later, as Congress prepared to vote on measures related to the deal, CUFI lead the grassroots effort in opposition to the agreement by sending tens of thousands of emails to Capitol Hill, running ads in papers across the country and organizing CUFI members to meet with their Members of Congress in their states and Washington.

And since Pres. Trump took office, CUFI has unfailingly spoken outin opposition to the deal and supported legislationtargeting the Islamic Republic’s illicit activities.

As CUFI founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee put it:

“Even when the conventional wisdom dictated the deal was here to say, CUFI never lost focus.”

This Monday, the U.S. will restore sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial industries. CUFI welcomes the re-imposition of sanctions and fully expects the Trump administration to vigorously enforce penalties against any sanctions violators. CUFI recognizes that limited oil waivers will, overtime, steadily decrease Iran’s oil output, thereby ratcheting up pressure on Tehran to change its illicit behavior.

CUFI also believes the most effective measure would be to cut all Iranian banks off from the international financial network known as SWIFT. Allowing any Iranian banks to be associated with SWIFT could have the unintended consequence of enabling efforts of those seeking to circumvent sanctions.

CUFI’s position on the Iranian regime and the Iran nuclear deal remains unchanged. We support a campaign of maximum pressure against Tehran’s tyrants.

As Pastor Hagee noted today:

Until Iran abandons its illicit activities, they will not have a seat at the international table.The Mullahs of Tehran are the enemies of all freedom loving people in the world, including the people of Iran. They must be stopped.”

 The United States, Middle East, Israel, and importantly, the Iranian people, are better off for these sanctions and CUFI is proud to stand by a president who stands against harmful foreign entities and for the oppressed.

At all costs, the U.S. must stand against the nuclear proliferation of a country striking fear into its people – and now is the time for Iran to answer with real change before their country falls further into despair.