This past Saturday, the International Atomic Energy Agency certified that Iran has met its obligations under the nuclear agreement. For the first time in over a decade, Iran does not possess enough material to develop a nuclear weapon.
On Tuesday, I took to the U.S. Senate floor to discuss this historic agreement that has effectively eliminated Iran’s nuclear weapon infrastructure.
The Iran agreement has led to the removal of twelve tons of fissile material, the destruction of 13,000 centrifuges, the permanent disabling of the deadly Arak plutonium reactor, and the long term presence of international inspectors. When the Iran nuclear agreement was signed experts believed that Iran was only weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon. Today, Iran is at least one year away from developing a nuclear weapon.
The Middle East is safer. Israel is safer. The world is safer because of this Iran agreement. Nevertheless, a non-nuclear Iran is still a threat to America's interests and values. We must continue to pursue an aggressive policy of monitoring and containing its actions that threaten our allies and promote terrorism.
We can only hope that the spirit of this nuclear agreement will lead to the day when Iran becomes a nation we can trust and work with for positive goals.
Until then we must be vigilant and only trust what we can verify.
Sincerely,
Alicja Otap
