[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 83 (Wednesday, May 17, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S1686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                  Iran

  Mr. President, on another matter, yesterday, at my urging, Biden 
administration officials held a briefing for our colleagues on the 
growing challenge Iran poses to America's allies, our interests, and 
our own personnel.
  The list of threats from Tehran is long and growing. The IRGC 
continues to harass commercial vessels in the Arabian Gulf. They arm 
and equip the Houthi rebels in Yemen who terrorize America's Gulf 
partners. They back the terrorist proxies in Iraq and Syria who killed 
an American and wounded two dozen others in March. They fund, train, 
equip, and facilitate Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad's 
proxy war against Israel.
  All the while, Iran has developed closer ties with China, expanded 
its nuclear and missile programs, suppressed peaceful nationwide 
protests, and continued its efforts to assassinate current and former 
U.S. officials as well as Iranian-American dissidents here on American 
soil.
  The administration recognizes Iran as ``Russia's top military 
backer'' and describes Iran's two-way arms race trade with Russia as a 
``full-scale defense partnership.''
  Tehran is not deterred from terror at home and abroad. Looking at 
this administration's record of retreat, it is little wonder why. 
President Biden began his term by relaxing pressure on Tehran's proxies 
in Yemen and turning his back on America's partners in the Gulf. His 
administration spent 2 years fruitlessly chasing the Iranians around 
the negotiating table. And they signaled weakness and incompetence 
through their reckless and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
  And while Iran and its proxies have conducted more than 80--80--
attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the President took 
office, America has responded with force four times--four times. If 
Iran does not fear serious consequences with such aggression, we cannot 
be surprised when they attack again and again all across the region.
  Unfortunately, the Middle East is not the only place where the Biden 
administration has met serious threats with a timid and halting 
response. Just look at the President's Ukraine policy: doing the right 
thing only after weeks or months of self-deterrence.
  But today, President Biden has an opportunity to change course. This 
week, he will meet with America's closest allies and trading partners 
overseas. In the shadow of global challenges, he can start rallying our 
partners with real American leadership to help Ukraine defeat Russian 
aggression and to impose meaningful costs on Russia for its brutal war, 
to deter Iran's violence at home and abroad with new and effective 
international sanctions, and to meet China's manipulation and malign 
influence with resolve and with strength. I hope the President will 
seize the opportunity.