[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 116 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H8072-H8073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                                  IRAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Speaker, as the International Atomic 
Energy Agency meets on Monday to determine whether to refer Iran to the 
Security Council, the United States must clearly and firmly state its 
position on Iran.
  Iran's clandestine nuclear weapons program has been in the works for 
the past 2 decades. As a member of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, 
all of Iran's nuclear activities must be constantly monitored by the 
International Atomic Energy Agency. Since 1987, Iran has pursued a 
hidden nuclear program in flagrant violation of its treaty obligations.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran's actions over the past 18 years are clearly 
directed toward building a nuclear weapons capability. Yet Iran calls 
upon the western countries to trust Iranian intentions. But how could 
we possibly do that, Mr. Speaker? Iran claims its nuclear program is 
intended only for peaceful purposes, but that claim is simply not 
credible.
  Iran has the world's second largest proven natural gas reserves and 
huge crude oil reserves as well. It is neither cost effective nor 
expedient to develop nuclear capabilities for Iran's energy needs.
  The world must not be so naive in this grave situation. We must look 
at Iran's past and present actions as the most reliable indication of 
its true intent.
  For years, since the early 1990s, Iran has persistently stated its 
need for nuclear weapon development. Its newly elected president 
pledged that he will continue to support Hezbollah's struggle against 
``the enemies of Islam.'' He has even vowed to reinforce Hezbollah; and 
he announced just today, Mr. Speaker, that his country is prepared to 
provide nuclear technology to other Islamic nations.
  Mr. Speaker, the spiritual adviser to and supporter of the president, 
Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi, issued a call for the public to join the 
swelling ranks of Iran's homegrown suicide bombers, stating that 
``Suicide operations are the peak of the nation and the height of its 
bravery.'' And President Ahmadinejad himself has equated martyrdom with 
art and made known his ambition to spread his government's Islamic 
ideology to the world.
  Mr. Speaker, the possibility of the regime in Iran having indigenous 
nuclear capability is a recipe for destruction that is simply 
unthinkable, and we absolutely must not make the cataclysmic error of 
believing that those now ruling in Iran have only peaceful purposes in 
developing nuclear capabilities.
  Iran attempts to allay international concerns, pledging that its 
nuclear program will be subject to inspection by the International 
Atomic Energy Agency. Yet this assurance is completely unassuring when 
we put it in the context of 18 years of unremitting deception in the 
IAEA's ineffectiveness. Iran has violated its obligations and forfeited 
its credibility.
  On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mottaki warned that referral to 
the UN Security Council would be a political no-win situation with 
``certain consequences affecting Iran's decisions.'' It is totally 
disingenuous for Iran to appeal to the West's conscience in this 
regard. Iran has set on a course that it has never wavered from, and it 
is seeking only to buy time. Mr. Speaker, the International Atomic 
Energy Agency should refer Iran to the Security Council.
  It goes unnoticed, Mr. Speaker, that it is the Iranian people who are 
suffering the most as a result of this radical clerical regime. The 
people of Iran should know that they have at least this Nation's 
unequivocal support to take the stand that they have yearned for for so 
many years. This support should be stated openly, clearly, and 
repeatedly.
  Regardless of what the International Atomic Energy Agency decides, 
United Nations policy should be clear. It should be articulated, and it 
should be open support for the freedom-loving people of Iran to 
establish a restored Iran, an Iran that contributes to its people and 
to the world, as it classically has done. What is required, Mr. 
Speaker, as Assad Homayoun has articulated, is ``legitimization through 
recognition'' and the people of Iran will rightfully have the resolve 
and recourse to establish a government by the people and for the 
people. This is a day we all should look forward to with gratitude to 
the good people of Iran.
  Mr. Speaker, as the International Atomic Energy Agency meets to 
determine in the next days whether to refer Iran to the Security 
Council, the United States must clearly--and firmly--state its position 
on Iran.
  Iran's clandestine nuclear weapons program has been in the works for 
the past two decades. As a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation 
Treaty, all of Iran's nuclear activities are treaty-bound to be 
constantly safeguarded by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Since 
1987, Iran has pursued a hidden nuclear program in flagrant violation 
of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
  Iran's actions over the past 18 years are clearly directed toward 
building a nuclear weapons capability. The Iranians have already built 
a pilot uranium enrichment facility and are currently completing a huge 
facility capable of producing enough highly enriched uranium to produce 
forty nuclear weapons per year.
  Iran has secretly imported 18 tons of uranium yellowcake from China 
and constructed a conversion facility to produce uranium hexafluoride 
gas for enrichment.
  Iran has also experimented with separating plutonium, and are 
presently building a heavy water reactor.
  Further, it has now been reported that Iran has experimented with 
polonium. Polonium is a radioactive isotope with only one principal 
use: to trigger a nuclear explosion.
  Further, Mr. Speaker, analysis by the U.S. Department of State 
released as of August 2005 states that ``the United States believes

[[Page H8073]]

that Iran has manufactured and stockpiled blister, blood, and choking 
chemical agents, and weaponized some of these agents into artillery 
shells, mortars, rockets and aerial bombs in contravention to the 
Chemical Weapons Convention.
  In July, Iran announced that it succeeded in developing solid fuel 
technology for ballistic missiles, which can be launched with almost no 
warning, far more quickly and reliably and with greater accuracy than 
those with liquid fuel.
  In August, Iran resumed converting uranium to gaseous state. This is 
a step that precedes enrichment which then can produce nuclear material 
usable both as fuel in nuclear reactors and as material for an atomic 
bomb.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran calls upon the Western countries to trust Iranian 
intentions, but how could we possibly do that?
  Iran's claim is that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful 
purposes only--to produce electricity. That claim is simply not 
credible. Iran has the world's second largest proven reserves of 
natural gas, along with huge crude oil reserves. It is neither cost 
effective nor expedient to develop nuclear capabilities for Iran's 
energy needs.
  The world must not be so naive in this grave situation--we must look 
at Iran's past and present actions. They are the most reliable 
indications of its true intent.
  For years--since the early 1990's, Iran has persistently maintained 
the need for nuclear weapon development. Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, 
who some hail as a ``moderate'', has repeatedly stated that nuclear 
development was a ``necessity.'' Rafsanjani has also stated that ``If a 
day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel 
has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate 
because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing in 
Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim 
world.'' What frightening words.
  Iran is in violation of numerous treaties--and continues its patterns 
of deceit. Iran is trying to create a Euro dominated exchange of oil, 
and has a strategic economic relationship with China.

  Iran suppresses its people with the harshest and most brutal kind of 
treatment. Just last Tuesday, September 6th, prosecutors' offices in 
provincial centers announced that ``Women who violate Iran's strict 
Islamic dress code will be flogged immediately''--they will appear 
before an Islamic judge immediately after arrest to receive a sentence, 
which is usually 100 lashes in public.
  Its newly elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pledged that he will 
continue to support Hezbollah's struggle against the ``enemies of 
Islam.'' He has even more recently vowed to reinforce Hezbollah.
  And, Mr. Speaker, the spiritual advisor to and supporter of President 
Ahmadinejad, Ayatoilah Misbah Yazdi, has issued a call in an Iranian 
newspaper for the public to join the swelling ranks of Iran's homegrown 
suicide bombers, stating that ``Suicide operations are the peak of the 
nation, and the height of its bravery.'' And President Ahmadinejad 
himself has stated that ``Is there art that is more beautiful, more 
divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom?'' The Iranian 
President has said that his ambition was to spread his government's 
Islamist ideology to the world.
  Mr. Speaker, the possibility of the regime in Iran having indigenous 
nuclear capability is a recipe for destruction that is unthinkable. And 
we absolutely must not make the cataclysmic error of believing that 
those now ruling in Iran have only peaceful purposes in developing 
nuclear capabilities.
  Mr. Speaker, Iran is attempting to allay international concerns, 
pledging that its nuclear program will be subject to inspection by the 
International Atomic Energy Agency. Yet this assurance is completely 
unassuring when put in the context of 18 years of unremitting 
deception, and the IAEA's ineffectiveness. Iran has violated its 
obligations and forfeited its credibility. We must not allow this 
defiant threat to the world to pass by unnoticed. The IAEA should refer 
Iran to the Security Council. The world cannot allow the current ruling 
regime of Iran to obtain and develop indigenous nuclear capability.
  It goes unnoticed, Mr. Speaker, that it is the Iranian people who are 
suffering the most as a result of this radical clerical regime. It 
seems all too possible that Iran wishes to develop nuclear capability 
to stifle international support for an Iranian popular revolt as much, 
and possibly more so, than to counter an Israeli nuclear ``threat''. 
The people of Iran should know that they have this nation's support--
unequivocal support to take the stand that they have yearned for, for 
so many years. This support should be stated openly, clearly, and 
repeatedly.
  Regardless of what the IAEA determines--Security Council or not, 
United States' policy should be clear, articulated support for the 
freedom-loving people of Iran to establish a restored Iran, an Iran 
that contributes to its people and the world, as it classically has 
done.
  What is required, Mr. Speaker, as Dr. Assad Homayoun the President of 
the Azadegan Foundation has articulated, is ``legitimization through 
recognition'' and the people of Iran will rightfully have the resolve 
and recourse to establish a government--by the people and for the 
people. That is a day we should all look forward to, with gratitude to 
the good people of Iran.

                          ____________________