Volume 14, Issue 57
“In short, Iran has dragged out this process, driving up its demands and exerting its leverage, convincing the world that the United States wants the JCPOA more than the Iranian regime does. After months of negotiations, this is the Iran we must contend with, not the Iran you hoped would be driven by practical considerations at the bargaining table.
Today’s Iran is buoyed by China, who, it is reported, just in April imported 650,000 barrels a day of oil from Iran. Oil which should be subject to U.S. sanctions. Even at discounted prices, this has resulted in a flood of cash for the regime – tens of millions of dollars per day. Today, Iran is protected by Russia. Iran thinks it has options. If Iran wants to extract a better deal or concede less than U.S. national security demands, it can turn to its autocratic allies.”
—Chairman Sen. Robert Menendez at a May 25th Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing
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