House Committee Backs Andrews Measure Condemning Iranian Seizure of British Sailors

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a bipartisan resolution I introduced with Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) condemning Iran for seizing 15 British sailors and urging the United Nations Security Council to examine new sanctions on Iran, including an embargo on refined gasoline.  The service members were seized on the same day the U.N. Security Council considered sanctions for Iran's continued efforts to develop nuclear weapons.  A quarantine on refined gasoline imports to Iran would force the regime to choose between releasing 15 British hostages or allowing their economy to slowly collapse. 

Due to economic mismanagement by the Iranian government, this leading OPEC nation now heavily depends on refined gasoline from abroad to run its economy.  One Dutch company, Vitol, is the main broker of Iranian gasoline imports and one British company, Lloyd’s of London, insures most of the tankers transporting gasoline to Iran.

I have long advocated for economic sanctions against Iran as part of an international diplomatic effort to halt the regime’s pursuit of nuclear weapons in defiance of the United Nations.  This latest incident is yet another affront to peaceful nations around the world.  Iran’s actions threaten our national security and Middle East regional stability.  An international restriction on the supply of gasoline provides a critical diplomatic tool to deny Iran the ability to further militarize the Persian Gulf and force Iran to honor its nonproliferation commitments.

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