The following is the response from three of Queens federal lawmakers on President Donal Trump‘s decsion for the United States to unilaterally leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) called Trump’s decsion to leave the JCPOA shortsighted and dangerous.
“he agreement gave us the critical ability to aggressively monitor and verify Iran’s behavior. By walking away from the agreement, the president has opened the door to Iran going back to developing a nuclear weapons program. This unilateral decision will cost us the ability to maintain a strong coalition holding Iran accountable and the ability to increase leverage and oversight with our European allies. It also severely undermines our country’s credibility as a partner that can be trusted; this is especially troubling as the Trump Administration prepares to negotiate with North Korea,” said Gillibrand.
“It took years of coordinated international sanctions coupled with diplomacy to reach this accord and it is a mistake to think we can simply restart this process with a clean slate. I hope that the other parties to the agreement continue to abide by the agreement, and I urge President Trump to reconsider this mistake. Rather than unraveling nuclear oversight, we should be focusing on adding additional levers to address Iran’s dangerous behavior in the region,” she added
U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D- Jamaica, Laurelton, Rosedale, Cambria Heights, Saint Albans, Springfield Gardens, Far Rockaway, JFK Airport), the senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that President Trump’s reinstatement of sanctions against Iran and his withdrawal from the JCPOA sabotages a deal that is working as designed.
“In so doing, he has set us on a perilous course forward, endangering Americans, tarnishing the United States’ leadership role, and undermining stability in the Middle East,” said Meeks.
“I have followed this process from the JCPOA’s inception; I have gone to great lengths to stay informed on related developments. It is clear to me that President Trump’s decision to pull out of the JCPOA is not based on any facts and is disconnected from expert input. From the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA), to our world allies in the P5+1, everyone is in agreement: the JCPOA is working; everyone, now, except for the Trump Administration.
“Like so much this administration does, including reneging on the Paris agreement and the DREAM Act, his unilateral decision to withdraw from the Iran deal is based on nothing but a desire to spite and dismantle the accomplishments of President Barack Obama. This is a good deal, forged over years of multilateral diplomacy and is in the best interests of the United States, of our allies in the region, and those around the world.
“Without a back-up plan and absent any clear strategy, tearing up the JCPOA restarts and accelerates Iran’s path to nuclearization. Once again, Trump has made it clear that he does not act based on fact and the best interest of the American people.”
U.S. Rep. and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D- Sunnyside, Astoria, College Point, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona, Woodside and parts of the Bronx) said Trump’s decision to withdraw from the agreement is reckless and irresponsible. It was made without adequate explanation of a realistic alternative or a comprehensive strategy, said Crowley.
“Abandoning the Iran Deal not only hurts our credibility overseas but puts the United States in a weak position on future inspections enforcement and snapback of international sanctions. This leaves Americans at greater risk of a nuclear-armed Iran and increases the chances of another war in the Middle East.
“The agreement has worked as intended for more than two years, preventing Iran from obtaining the materials needed to develop a nuclear warhead. President Trump’s decision is based on purely political reasons and blatantly disregards the security of the American people.”
