A resolution calling on the Biden Administration to pursue censure of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), refer the issue to the United Nations Security Council, and reaffirm that all measures will be taken to prevent the regime in Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Bill: 118-sres-717
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]
Introduced: 2024-06-03
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2024-06-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S3934)

Summaries:
action_date: 2024-06-03
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution reaffirms that the United States will take all necessary measures to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and supports the imposition of robust sanctions on Iran and those involved in its nuclear and missile programs.</p><p>The resolution also condemns Iran's continued obstruction of basic monitoring and verification activities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and calls on the Biden Administration to pursue a resolution at the IAEA to formally censure Iran for its noncompliance with the Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement.</p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 717 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 3, 2024 Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Cotton , Mr. Cassidy , Mr. Graham , Mr. Cornyn , Mr. Tillis , Mr. Crapo , Mr. Scott of Florida , Ms. Lummis , Mr. Cruz , Mr. Budd , and Mr. Ricketts ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Calling on the Biden Administration to pursue censure of Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), refer the issue to the United Nations Security Council, and reaffirm that all measures will be taken to prevent the regime in Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Whereas the Government of Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism, supporting proxies that undermine peace in the Middle East, seek the destruction of the State of Israel, target United States Armed Forces in the region, and threaten the freedom of navigation, including in the Red Sea; Whereas Iran's nuclear activities, including its enrichment of near weapons-grade uranium and installation of advanced centrifuges, and expanding missile and drone program pose a significant threat to international security; Whereas the Government of Iran has amassed large stockpiles of enriched uranium, including uranium enriched to 60 percent purity, and has developed advanced centrifuge technology, significantly reducing the time required to produce weapons-grade uranium; Whereas, according to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran's nuclear enrichment activities have accelerated to the point where the regime can now produce enough weapons-grade uranium for multiple nuclear weapons within days; Whereas missiles developed through the regime's expanding missile program, including the development of long-range ballistic missiles, could serve as delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons, thereby increasing the threat posed by the nuclear capabilities of the regime; Whereas the Government of Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic consequences for regional and global security and undermine the integrity of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968 (commonly referred to as the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty or the NPT ) ; Whereas the Government of Iran ratified the NPT in 1970 and continues to be a state party to the treaty; Whereas Article III of the NPT states, Each Non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes to accept safeguards, as set forth in an agreement to be negotiated and concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency. ; Whereas the IAEA has repeatedly reported on the non-compliance of the Government of Iran with its NPT-required safeguards agreement, including the discovery of undeclared nuclear materials and activities at various sites and a recent violation of modified code 3.1 by beginning construction of a new reactor known as IR–360; Whereas the regime in Iran has barred IAEA inspectors from fully monitoring its nuclear activities and continues to refuse to cooperate with investigations into its undeclared nuclear materials and activities; and Whereas the United States has a responsibility to use its voice and vote at international fora to advance global efforts to hold the Government of Iran accountable for its violations of international non-proliferation agreements including the NPT; Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) reaffirms that the United States Government will take all necessary measures to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons; (2) calls on the Biden Administration to pursue a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, formally censuring the Government of Iran for its noncompliance with its Comprehensive Safeguard Agreement as required by the NPT, and to refer the issue to the United Nations Security Council; (3) urges the Biden Administration to work with partners and allies of the United States to pursue punitive actions in response to violations by the Government of Iran, including but not limited to working with the coalition of France, the United Kingdom, and Germany (known as the E3 ) to prevent nuclear related restrictions under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) from lapsing, to re-impose sanctions that remain lifted by such resolution, and other measures to enforce compliance with non-proliferation obligations; (4) condemns Iran's continued obstruction of basic monitoring and verification activities by the IAEA, as well as its refusal to provide technically credible explanations for the presence of undeclared nuclear materials and activities at sites across Iran; (5) acknowledges the critical role of the IAEA in monitoring and verifying nuclear non-proliferation and calls for continued support for the IAEA to ensure robust oversight of Iran's nuclear activities; (6) acknowledges the important foundation the NPT provides for the global non-proliferation regime and that any effort to normalize violations of the NPT by the Government of Iran will only serve to further erode global non-proliferation standards; (7) supports the imposition of robust sanctions on the Government of Iran for it nuclear and missile programs and on entities and individuals involved in these programs to deter further proliferation efforts; and (8) emphasizes the need for a coordinated international response to address the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program and calls on all nations to join the United States in taking decisive action to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons and to uphold nuclear non-proliferation standards in the Middle East and beyond.