Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid delivered the following statement on the Senate Floor regarding Iran sanctions:

Mr. President, I am a strong supporter of our Iran sanctions regime and believe that the current sanctions have brought Iran to the negotiating table.

I believe we must do everything possible to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons capability, which would threaten Israel  and the national security of the United States.

The Obama Administration is in the midst of a negotiation  with the Iranians / that is designed to end their nuclear weapons program.

We all strongly support those negotiations, hope they will succeed, and want them to produce the strongest possible agreement.

However, we are also are aware of the possibility that the Iranians could keep the negotiations from succeeding.  I hope that will not happen.

But, the Senate must be prepared to move forward with a new bipartisan Iran sanctions bill, when the Senate returns after Thanksgiving recess.  And I am committed to do so.

A number of Senators have offered their own amendments on Iran in the Defense Authorization bill, and I know that other Senators also have their own sanctions bills.

I will support a bill that would broaden the scope of our current petroleum sanctions; place limitations on trade with strategic sectors of the Iranian economy that support its nuclear ambitions, as well as pursue those who divert goods to Iran.

While I support the Admiration’s diplomatic effort, I believe we need to leave our legislative options open to act on a new, bipartisan sanctions bill in December, shortly after we return.