Tracking Number: 394623
Title: "Congressman Urge Clinton to Increase Pressure on Iran." Over 200 members of the House of Representatives signed a letter to President Clinton urging him to increase
pressure on Iran. (950608)
Author: MARSHALL, RICK (USIA STAFF WRITER)
Date: 19950608
Text:
*NEA405
06/08/95 CONGRESSMEN URGE CLINTON TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON IRAN (Over 200 members send President letter) (320) By Rick Marshall USIA Staff Writer Washington -- More than 200 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter to President Clinton May 30 urging him to increase pressure on the government of Iran as well as recognize the importance of the National Council of Resistance (NCR) to the future of democracy in Iran.
Five Congressmen -- Dan Burton (Republican, Indiana); Gary Ackerman (Democrat, New York); James Traficant (Democrat, Ohio); Bob Ney (Republican, Ohio); and Robert Torricelli (Democrat, New Jersey) -- held a press conference June 8 to call attention to the letter.
The letter calls for "a practical policy that encompasses military, economic, political and diplomatic sanctions" against Iran and calls on the President to "take a leading role in initiating such sanctions within the international community."
It also states that the NCR "will contribute to the realization of political pluralism and democracy in Iran." The NCR is a coalition of groups opposed to the Iranian government. It maintains an armed force in Iraq led by Massoud Rajavi, whose wife Maryam has been chosen as "Iran's future President," according to NCR documents.
On April 30, President Clinton issued an executive order prohibiting U.S. companies from doing business with Iran. The move met with general approval in Congress, although there are some, like Senator Alphonse D'Amato (Republican, New York), who feel that the boycott should include foreign firms who continue to trade with Iran.
The Administration has repeatedly criticized Tehran for seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction, supporting terrorism and attempting to undermine the Middle East peace process. These concerns are widely shared by Congress, as the five House members made clear in their remarks.
Burton labeled Iran the number one adversary of the United States, while Ackerman and Ney spoke of the brutality of the Iranian regime.
Torricelli urged the Administration to broaden the boycott, suggesting that the Congress might do so if the President did not.
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File Identification: 06/08/95, NEA405; 06/09/95, NAA507
Product Name: Wireless File
Product Code: WF
Languages: Arabic
Keywords: HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, US; CLINTON, BILL/Foreign Relations: Near East & South Asia; IRAN-US RELATIONS; NATIONAL COUNCIL OF RESISTANCE (IRAN); SANCTIONS
Target Areas: NE
PDQ Text Link: 394623
USIA
Notes: *95060804.GNE
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