Young on Iran:
The Iranian regime’s record on human rights, its links to terrorist groups such as Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and its well-documented attitude towards Israel are outrageous. I am continuing to urge Congress to make strong gestures to the Iranian regime regarding its treatment of its citizens.
I have serious concerns about the nature of Iran’s nuclear activities, and share international concern that the aims of the Iranian nuclear program are not exclusively peaceful. I will continue to support the international community’s efforts to resolve the issue through diplomacy. It is important to place the maximum pressure on Iran to return to meaningful negotiations about its nuclear ambitions and to fully meet the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). I welcome the June 2006 initiative put forward by Germany and the five permanent members of the Security Council, which offers Iran a wide-ranging basis for negotiations and a positive future relationship, in return for the suspension of its nuclear enrichment program and a return to meaningful negotiations.
Furthermore, I will support measures against Iran if it fails to comply with the Security Council. These should include banning all international nuclear co-operations with Iran, halting the sale of dual-use nuclear technology and military technology to it, and prohibiting new international investment in oil and gas projects in the country. The United States remains at the forefront of efforts to generate and maintain consensus over Iran. We hope that the united front that the permanent members of the Security Council have shown will be maintained now that we are approaching a critical juncture in our dealings with Iran.