Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt, along with Ranking Member Tim Scott and several Senate Republican colleagues, have raised concerns over the Biden Administration's decision to renew Iran sanctions waivers. In a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Senators demanded transparency regarding U.S. enabled payments to Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism.

"It is unfathomable that this is the context in which the administration determined that it was within the national security interest of the United States to waive sanctions on restricted Iranian funds, making them more accessible to the regime," the Senators expressed in their letter.

Senator Britt criticized the renewal of the sanctions waiver, stating, "Renewing a sanctions waiver for Iran, the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism, should never even be a consideration for the United States of America."

The letter also highlighted concerns about the administration's lack of information sharing on a strategy to restore deterrence in the Middle East. The Senators pointed out inconsistencies in the handling of funds related to Iranian petroleum sales, emphasizing the need to restrict Iran's access to currency abroad.

Joining Senator Britt and Ranking Member Scott on the letter were several Senate colleagues, including Senators Mike Crapo, Kevin Cramer, Chuck Grassley, John Cornyn, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Todd Young, Rick Scott, Ted Budd, and Pete Ricketts.

This recent action follows previous efforts by Senator Britt to strengthen sanctions on Iran, including leading a group of Senate Republicans in urging the Treasury Department to enforce existing sanctions on Iranian steel. The Senator has been actively involved in supporting legislation aimed at increasing pressure on Iran, such as the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act and Revoke Iranian Funding Act of 2023.

Senator Britt's consistent advocacy for imposing stringent sanctions on Iran reflects her commitment to cutting off the country's financial resources and deterring its support for terrorist activities.