Steil Urges President Biden to Enforce Sanctions Against Iran

Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2024) - Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) today demanded President Biden not to renew the sanctions waiver that allowed Iran access to $10 billion worth of frozen funds. Rep. Steil is urging the Biden administration to let the waiver expire this week to re-establish deterrence and ramp up sanctions pressure to prevent Iran from fomenting a larger regional conflict in the Middle East.  

Below are excerpts and highlights from the letter: 

“Since October 7, Hamas and fellow Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, have continued to attack Israel. Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq have also engaged in over 170 attacks against U.S. personnel in the Middle East, killing three soldiers and wounding dozens. At the same time, the Iran-backed Houthis have attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea, constraining a major conduit for global trade. More recently, over the weekend of March 9, 2024, the U.S. military said they shot down at least 28 Houthi drones in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. According to reports, this was the largest wave of attacks by the Houthis. 

“However, despite these attacks on Americans and our interests, your administration has taken steps to allow Iran access to billions to fund additional terrorist activity that directly threaten Americans. While your administration claims the funds are strictly for “humanitarian purchases”, we know that Iran as a long track record of evading sanctions and siphoning humanitarian funds for their hostile actions.  

“Your administration’s stated justification for this $10 billion waiver remains insufficient. Instead of cracking down on Iran, your administration rewards Tehran for their continued uranium enrichment, human rights abuses, and terror proxy escalation.” 

NOTE: The letter follows Rep. Steil’s urgent request in November 2023 for President Biden to reverse his administration's misguided decision to allow the largest state-sponsor of terrorism access to the $10 billion.   

In October 2023, Rep. Steil called on President Biden to enforce financial sanctions on Iran and to provide answers to Congress on his administration’s approval of a previous sanctions waiver license that gave Iran $6 billion. Last year, Rep. Steil also introduced the Banking Transparency for Sanctioned Persons Act. This legislation, which was signed into law, increases transparency by requiring the U.S. Treasury Department to routinely report to Congress any sanctions licenses provided to allow transactions between financial institutions and targeted individuals.  

CLICK HERE to read the letter. 

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