Over 40 Senators Urge President Biden to Cease Iran Nuclear Talks after Hamas Funding

“They are targeting Israeli civilians and cities, including Israel’s capital Jerusalem,” the senators wrote in a letter to the President Wednesday. “This is troubling as members of your administration are currently in Vienna negotiating with Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. In light of these recent attacks by Hamas against Israel, the United States should take all steps necessary to hold Tehran accountable and under no circumstances, provide sanctions relief to Iran. This is especially important as Iran is supporting terrorist activity against the United States’ closest ally in the region, Israel.”

According to CBN News, the letter to Biden comes as U.S. and Iranian officials have been meeting in Austria to consider resuming the 2015 nuclear deal that was canceled by former President Donald Trump. Biden’s administration has said the President is hoping to renew the nuclear deal, Newsweek reports.

Rubio and supporting senators said the Islamic Republic provides funding to the terrorist group Hamas. The letter said Iran has helped the terrorist group.

“Shortly after the attacks began, and as they continued, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tweeted that Palestinians should unite to “use the tools of their disposal” to attack Israel, which he recently called not a nation, but a “terrorist garrison,” the senator’s letter continued. “Even the Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, who currently is supervising Iran’s negotiating team in Vienna, called Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh to express Iran’s support for the group’s actions.”

The U.S. designated Hamas as a terrorist organization in 1997.

“We call on you to immediately end negotiations with Iran, and make clear that sanctions relief will not be provided. Doing so would demonstrate a firm commitment to our closest ally in the region and to our own security interests,” the senators wrote.

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Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.