Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced the Committee will convene a hearing with top Obama Administration officials to examine the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran as an end of March deadline looms.  The hearing, entitled “Negotiations with Iran: Blocking or Paving Tehran’s Path to Nuclear Weapons?” will take place on Thursday, March 19 at 8:30 a.m. in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building.
 
Chairman Royce on the hearing: “The Obama Administration is racing to meet a March deadline for an agreement with Iran to constrain its nuclear program.  Through a series of hearings, the Committee has raised many concerns over the outline of this proposed agreement.  Chiefly, will a final agreement accept an Iran that is permanently on the brink of nuclear weapons?  This hearing will review the status of negotiations with the Iranian regime, the Administration’s plans for sanctions relief for Tehran, and the challenges of reaching an effective and implementable agreement with a state sponsor of terrorism that is destabilizing countries throughout its region.”
 
The hearing follows the circulation of a bipartisan letter Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel will soon send to President Obama underscoring the “grave and urgent issues that have arisen” relating to the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran.  The letter highlights concerns about the size of Iran’s uranium enrichment program, its lack of cooperation with international inspectors, and the need for an intrusive inspection regime.  With nearly 250 signatures to date, the letter stresses that verifiable constraints on Iran’s program must last for decades.  The letter also highlight’s Iran’s destabilizing role in the Middle East and its horrendous human rights record.  A pdf of the letter is available HERE.
 
What:
Hearing: Negotiations with Iran: Blocking or Paving Tehran’s Path to Nuclear Weapons?
 
When:
8:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 19
 
Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building
 
Witnesses:
The Honorable Antony J. Blinken
Deputy Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
 
Mr. Adam J. Szubin
Acting Under Secretary
Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence
U.S. Department of the Treasury
 
***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.
 
***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.
 

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