More than 40 senators call for "immediate end" of talks with Iran, citing Khamenei support for Hamas

 

More than 40 senators call for "immediate end" of talks with Iran, citing Khamenei support for Hamas

In a letter to US President Joe Biden, more than 40 US senators called on President Khamenei to support Palestinian group attacks on Israel and encourage them to continue their attacks. End the nuclear deal with Iran and make it clear that sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will not be lifted.

The 44 senators signed the letter, dated May 12, stating that Israel was "America's closest ally in the region" and that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran tweeted that it was not a "country" but a "terrorist garrison." .

The senators say that even Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of the Islamic Republic, who leads the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna, contacted Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and expressed the Islamic Republic's support for the group's actions.

"We are writing this letter about the ongoing rocket attacks against Israel by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas," they said. "In recent days, Iranian-backed Palestinian terrorists in Gaza have launched a series of rocket attacks into Israel."

The senators say the attacks on "Israeli civilians and cities, including Jerusalem, the capital of Israel," came as "members of your government are currently in Vienna negotiating with Iran, the main pro-terrorism government." The senators said the issue was "worrying."

The senators, including Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio, and Mitt Romney, say that given Hamas' attacks on Israel, "the United States must take all necessary steps to hold Tehran accountable, and under no circumstances." "Conditions should not lift sanctions."

They say the lifting of sanctions is particularly important because of "Iran's support for terrorist activities against the United States' closest ally, Israel."

They say the United States should "do nothing to enrich Israel's enemies, including by offering to lift sanctions on a regime that seeks to destroy Israel."

In another part of the senators' letter, it is stated that Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which are supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, have targeted Israel by firing one thousand missiles in the past two days.

The senators say the United States declared Hamas a terrorist organization in 1997 and therefore has no financial backing, but Iran is a longtime supporter of Hamas and the United States should not enter into active negotiations with Iran, possibly "billions of dollars" by reducing Sanctions provided the Islamic Republic.

The senators say the money will "undoubtedly be spent on Iran's support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations attacking the Americans and our allies."

By not lifting sanctions against Iran, the senators say, "we are showing our strong commitment to our closest allies in the region and to our security interests."

Israeli officials have repeatedly stated their opposition to a nuclear deal with Iran or its revival.