APN opposes Iran sanctions bills

By · April 13, 2007

Americans for Peace Now opposes new legislation toughening Iran
sanctions.

“APN supports the imposition of targeted U.S.
economic sanctions against Iran,
but believes strongly that such sanctions should be part of a comprehensive
strategy that
includes both carrots and sticks,” said a letter sent Friday to all Congress
members. “Experience in the region demonstrates that sanctions alone are
not likely to do the job; what is necessary for an effective policy is to
combine sanctions with diplomacy.”

Recently proposed legislation in the U.S. House of
Representatives and the Senate “would target not only Iran
but all those members of the international community who do not
share the U.S.
sanctions-only approach,” said the letter. “Not only would
such a policy likely fail to sway Iran,
but it would likely complicate and seriously strain
relations with those very nations whose cooperation the U.S.
needs in order to craft a comprehensive policy toward Iran
policy that can deliver success (e.g., the Europeans, Russia,
Japan).”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee strongly backs
both packages, and urged its activists this week to lobby their lawmakers to
push through the sanctions. The international community is isolating Iran
until it allows greater nuclear transparency.