WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration’s decision to extend nuclear negotiations with Iran:
 
“It’s been almost five years since President Obama said, ‘the United States will not continue to negotiate indefinitely’ with Iran. The administration set a deadline for negotiations – and now it wants even more time. 
 
“While the President seems desperate to get any sort of deal with the Iranians, the American people cannot afford a bad deal or more years of delay. Without pressure from Americans, Iran will continue to enjoy relief from sanctions without dismantling one single part of their nuclear program.
 
“Instead of more diplomatic dithering and futile discussions with the Iranian regime, the President should immediately:
 
1.     Reinstate full sanctions. The sanctions relief the Administration continues to give to Iran removes the urgency for them to complete a final deal. It’s time to re-impose those sanctions now to renew urgency on Iran.
 
2.     Call on the Senate to pass the bipartisan Menendez-Kirk bill that will impose new sanctions to compel Iran to complete a final agreement.
 
3.     Join the bipartisan group of 83 Senators who have clearly stated that Iran does not have a right to uranium enrichment.
 
“The past five years of failed negotiations have proven that President Obama cannot simply talk the Iranian regime out of its illicit nuclear program. The president admits that economic sanctions brought Iran to the negotiating table. It’s clearly going to take tougher sanctions to get us where we need to be: total dismantling of Iran’s illicit nuclear program.”
 
                                                                 ###