Bob Corker, other senators back new sanctions on Iran

Nashville Tennessean

WASHINGTON — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted Thursday to impose new sanctions against Iran but held off on punishing Russia for meddling in last year’s presidential election.

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The panel voted 18-3 to impose sanctions on Iran over its recent flurry of ballistic missile tests and human rights violations, despite warnings from some Democrats and the Obama administration that its actions could jeopardize the landmark nuclear deal struck with Tehran.

But the committee’s Republican chairman, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, insisted the new sanctions would have no impact on the nuclear deal, which he opposed.

“This in no way touches the nuclear deal,” Corker said.

The bipartisan bill, which now has 48 Senate co-sponsors, imposes mandatory sanctions on people involved with Iran’s ballistic missile program and those who do business with them. It also applies terrorism sanctions to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and enforces an arms embargo.

Former Secretary of State John Kerry warned senators in a series of Twitter posts Wednesday to proceed with caution, especially after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s re-election last week by a large margin.

“After Rouhani’s reelection, there is much up in the air/room for misinterpretation,” he wrote in one post. “This is not the moment for a new Iran bill.”

“We need to consider the implications of confrontation without conversation,” he said in another.

But Corker said Iran’s rogue activities have escalated since the nuclear agreement was implemented, and the new sanctions will give the Trump administration additional tools for holding Tehran accountable.

Even Democrats on the committee said the time has come to hold Iran accountable.

“This is not a country that is trying to enter the norms of society,” said the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, who said Iran has violated basic human rights.

Corker predicted the bill would have broad support when it goes to the full Senate this summer. The bill also still must pass the House.

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On Russia, Corker said he wants to give Secretary of State Rex Tillerson more time to continue his discussions with Moscow, particularly on Russia’s involvement in the Syrian civil war, before the committee takes up a Russian sanctions bill.

Corker said he expects Tillerson to give the committee an update in a few weeks on U.S.-Russian relations and on whether there has been a significant change in the trajectory of that relationship.

“I don’t think anything is going to change,” he said.

If not, Corker said, he would be willing to take up a bill this summer to impose sanctions on Russia. He did not specify what those sanctions would entail, but said they would almost certainly include punishment for meddling in last year’s presidential election.

Democrats have been pushing for sanctions against Russia over its involvement in last year’s election.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, warned that Russia poses a serious threat and would continue to meddle in the electoral process in the United States and other countries unless Congress acts.

Reach Michael Collins at mcollins2@gannett.com or 703-854-8927 and on Twitter at @mcollinsNEWS.