Democratic senator vows to reauthorize Iran sanctions

The top Democrat handling foreign relations in the Senate says he will endeavor to get Congress to reauthorize Iran sanctions before year’s end, a key goal of pro-Israel activists.

“There’s general agreement we have to extend the sanctions against Iran, and we need to do it before they expire at the end of this year,” says Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, the ranking member of his party on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Cardin says he can get Democrats behind a simple reauthorization, adding it is needed to keep in effect sanctions the Obama administration say will “snap back” should Iran violate the deal. The deal offers sanctions relief in exchange for rollbacks in Iran’s nuclear program.

He says concerns about whether Iran would expand its influence in the region came up during his March 18-26 tour of the region in conversations with Netanyahu, the Saudi king and the emir of Qatar.

The Obama administration says reauthorization is not required and is opposing it for now.

— JTA

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