March 11, 2021

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC) is grateful to the 70 Democratic and 70 Republican members of Congress, including Congressmen Tom Emmer, Jim Hagedorn, Dusty Johnson and Dean Phillips, who signed a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken respectfully urging the Biden administration to ‘seek an agreement or set of agreements with Iran that are comprehensive in nature to address the full range of threats that Iran poses to the region.’

Specifically, we agree that in addition to ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, it is imperative that any diplomacy with Iran must both ensure it ‘cannot develop a nuclear-capable ballistic missile’ and address ‘Iran’s malign behavior throughout the Middle East.’

At a time when bipartisan consensus is so hard to achieve it is gratifying that an ideologically diverse range of Representatives can come together in agreement that ‘America and our allies must engage Iran through a combination of diplomatic and sanction mechanisms to achieve full compliance of international obligations and a demonstrated commitment by Iran to addressing its malign behavior. Three core tenets – their nuclear program, their ballistic missile program, and their funding of terrorism – must be addressed from the outset.’

We are also encouraged by Secretary Blinken’s commitment before the House Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday to using the State Department’s resources to combat global antisemitism and white supremacy.  Likewise, we are appreciative that the Biden administration will continue to abide by the Taylor Force Act, which blocks U.S. payments to the Palestinian Authority for as long as it continues its practice of financially incentivizing terrorism by making direct payments terrorists’ families.

PHOTO: “US Capitol” by Mark Fischer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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As the public affairs voice of the Jewish community, the JCRC fights antisemitism and prejudice, advocates for Israel, provides Holocaust education, promotes tolerance and social justice, and builds bridges across the Jewish and broader communities.