WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) in introducing a bipartisan resolution calling on the United Nations (UN) to extend its arms embargo on Iran. The UN arms embargo, which restricts Iran’s conventional weapons imports and exports, expires in October 2020.
“In the face of increasing threats in the region from Iran and its proxies, the U.S. must remain strong in our resolve,” said Senator Rosen. “The United Nations arms embargo has limited the flow of sophisticated weapons to Iran and restricted Iran’s ability to provide its proxies with arms. If the embargo expires, Iran will be free under international law to purchase and transfer an array of weapons, posing a threat to the security of the United States and our allies, including Israel. We must prevent this outcome, which is why this resolution calls on the United Nations to extend these sensible restrictions.”
BACKGROUND: Since first coming to Congress, Senator Rosen has taken numerous actions to push back against Iran’s destabilizing actions, including co-sponsoring and voting for the bipartisan Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, legislation that strengthened United States sanctions on Iran’s weapons transfers and was signed into law in 2017. She has also co-sponsored legislation to hold Iran’s proxies accountable, including the bipartisan Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation to sanction foreign companies and individuals that aid Hezbollah’s fundraising or recruitment activities. This legislation passed the House unanimously, and its identical Senate companion bill was later signed into law.
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