Wake Up America!

Said President Obama in his speech Wednesday (Jan. 27), “As Iran’s leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: They, too, will face growing consequences. That is a promise.”[3] China, a major Iranian trading partner, has continued to stymie the administration’s efforts to secure a fifth round of sanctions in the UN Security Council.[4]

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pushing the Obama administration to implement immediate, tougher sanctions on Iran and build international support for them.[5]

Khamenei, in a meeting with the president of Mauritania, said Tuesday, “It is certain that the day will come for the regional nations to witness the collapse of the Zionist regime. Whether the day gets closer or farther to us depends on the performance of the Islamic countries and Muslim nations.“[6]

Iran continues its uranium enrichment activities unabated and earlier this month issued an ultimatum, warning that if the United States doesn’t accept Tehran’s counterproposal to a nuclear deal by the end of January, it will commence reactor fuel production at increased levels of enrichment.[7]

In order to avoid a military confrontation with Iran, the bipartisan Senate coalition is calling for U.S. action in the face of what they say is likely to be continued stalling at the UN. “We must…exhaust every possible non-military means at our disposal to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability,” stated a letter by U.S. senators including Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Robert Casey (D-Penn.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and David Vitter (R-La.).[8]

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) pledged Tuesday to bring sweeping sanctions legislation to the Senate floor by mid-February.[9] If passed, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2009 (S. 2799) would enable state divestment efforts and target U.S. companies that provide refined petroleum to Iran. Iran’s inability to refine petroleum is a key liability for the Islamic Republic.[10]