<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., are concerned about Iran\u2019s second ballistic missile test since a pact was agreed upon to limit the country\u2019s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.<\/p>\n
At a hearing this week of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gardner and other senators criticized the Obama administration for not taking stronger steps to admonish the Iranian regime for its continued violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis permissive environment that we have created, in which we acknowledge that Iran is going to continue a program of ballistic missile development regardless of the consequences, that we\u2019ve referred these violations to a committee, that we\u2019ve talked about it, that we\u2019ve sternly reprimanded them, we\u2019ve wagged our finger, has done nothing to protect the American people,\u201d Gardner said during Thursday\u2019s hearing.<\/p>\n
In October, Iran test fired a precision-guided ballistic missile that experts said was capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. Recent reports indicate that a second ballistic missile test happened at the end of November.<\/p>\n
Stephen Mull, a witness before the committee and the State Department\u2019s lead coordinator for Iran nuclear implementation, said that the U.S. was deciding on action.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are considering active measures, active consequences for this latest launch,\u201d Mull said.<\/p>\n
Although the administration has maintained that the missile tests do not violate the nuclear agreement reached earlier this year, the tests are in violation of several UN Security Council resolutions, including one passed the day after the nuclear accord was reached that compels Iran to stop work on ballistic missiles for eight years.<\/p>\n
Gardner said that the U.S. must take unilateral steps to show that it is willing to stand tough in the face of continued Iranian posturing. Without such a move, Gardner maintains that Iran will not back down from its missile program.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the fact is, we don\u2019t have the response \u2013 and the actions to back it up \u2013 when Iran has clearly violated,\u201d Gardner said. \u201cIn fact, we haven\u2019t taken any of the steps necessary to prevent them from growing their ballistic missile program, which they will and has been admitted here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The reports of a second missile test by Iran led to calls from both sides of the aisle for the administration to maintain sanctions against the country.<\/p>\n
Bennet joined with 20 Democratic senators in sending a letter to Obama on Thursday asking that the president take action so the Iranian regime does not \u201cquestion the willingness of the international community\u201d in responding to violations of the Iran nuclear agreement and the UN Security Council\u2019s resolutions.<\/p>\n
The letter from the Democratic senators came after a similar letter to Obama, signed by Gardner and 35 other Republican senators, that was sent earlier this week asking the president to not lift sanctions on Iran.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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