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For Immediate Release
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Contact: Ryan Murphy
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House Republicans Call on President to Stand Firm Against Iran’s Nuclear Weapon Ambitions

Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) along with more than 50 House Republicans – including Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) – sent a letter to President Obama today calling on him to sternly enforce existing sanctions against the Iranian regime and pledge to take no options off the table in efforts to avert the regime’s plans to develop a nuclear weapon. The letter highlights how the Iranian regime – the chief state sponsor of terrorism – has allied itself with organizations that support the destruction of Israel. It was sent to the White House as both President Obama and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are in New York City to address the General Assembly of the United Nations.

“The United States needs to stand strong with our allies around the world in holding the Iranian regime accountable for its nuclear weapons capability,” said Rep. Price after releasing the letter. “President Ahmadinejad has used his time on the world stage to promote instability in the Middle East and thwart legitimate international efforts to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of those who have called for the destruction of an entire nation and people. I call on the President to heed the effort and advice of many in Congress who understand that America must play the role of an unequivocal leader in stopping the Iranian regime from building nuclear weapons.”

The following is the full text of the letter to President Obama. A signed copy can be viewed here.

September 22, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write at what may be the eleventh hour to urge you to do everything in your power to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear-weapon capability that will allow it to threaten its neighbors, the United States and its allies, and the world. This cannot be permitted.

Iran is aggressively pursuing dual-use nuclear capability aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found Iran has produced enough low-enriched uranium at its main facility at Natanz to produce two nuclear weapons with further processing. This represents a 15 percent increase in Iran’s nuclear stockpile in only three months.

Iran has also crossed a critical threshold in the development of ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads. Worse, the IAEA reports that Iranian authorities have refused to answer questions about “the development of a nuclear payload for a missile.” Iran’s secret nuclear facilities and its concealment of weaponization efforts are clear signals that it has no intention of recognizing the IAEA or respecting the international community’s opposition to its possession of nuclear weapons. Moreover, Iranian leaders have repeatedly stated their aim to destroy Israel in terms that cannot be misunderstood.

Therefore, we urge your administration to strictly enforce existing sanctions against Iran and to ensure that its allies, and all United Nations members do the same. This includes preventing foreign subsidiaries of U.S. corporations or U.S. government contractors from doing business with Iran.

Second, we urge you to take whatever action is necessary to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. All options should be on the table in curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Third, we call on you to prevent Iran from funding and training terrorist surrogates that threaten our allies and undermine peace, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad -- organizations which promote a culture of hatred and whose stated aim is to destroy Israel. The U.S. must ensure that Iran and its terrorist proxies in the region do not derail the momentum of the current peace process.

Mr. President, we are increasingly anxious that the world is running out of time to stop the Iranian regime -- the chief state sponsor of terrorism in the world –from achieving the ability to threaten the world with its nuclear weapons.

The IAEA reports and dissident accounts of secret nuclear facilities, together with the Iranian regime’s mocking defiance of the international community, indicate that we may have only weeks and months, rather than years, to stop this crisis from reaching its fearsome denouement.

On September 23rd, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will address the United Nations General Assembly. Most likely, he will once again use the platform to mock those who oppose his quest for nuclear weapons and deny the Holocaust. Please do not let his remarks go unchallenged. Please state unequivocally that the United States and our allies will prevent Iran from further threatening its neighbors by destabilizing the region and igniting a nuclear-arms race.

Thank you for your consideration.

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