House Passes Andrews Language Ordering Feasibility Study of Iran Gasoline Quarantine

Last week the House of Representatives passed the State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for FY2008, which included language authored by myself and Congressman Mark Kirk ordering the State Department to report to Congress on the feasibility of restricting gasoline to Iran. Restricting refined gasoline to Iran is one way to pressure the regime to give up its efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

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.  An international restriction on the supply of gasoline would serve as a critical diplomatic tool to deny Iran the ability to further its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. Therefore, I strongly urge the State Department to advocate for a gasoline embargo on Iran as a sanction at the United Nations Security Council.

Extremist powers in Iran have continued to defy the world, endangering citizens of all countries.  A nuclear Iran is not an option for the global community.  This provision will help to supplement the Unites States' options to require Iran to abandon its nuclear program or face severe economic hardship.

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