Engel: Sanctions, Not Rouhani, Only Chance for Iran Deal

Eliot Engel, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that he would be “shocked” if US President Barack Obama doesn’t sign new sanctions legislation on Iran following Senate action later this year.

Engel, who represents New York’s 16th District, and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) are the lead sponsors to the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act, which passed the House by a vote of 400-20 on July 31. The bill, which will be taken up by the Senate after the summer congressional recess, would compel countries to further reduce Iranian oil imports; would impose penalties on foreign persons engaging in significant commerce with Iran; would "blacklist" Iran’s automotive and mining sectors; would restrict Iran’s access to foreign currency reserves; would further restrict Iranian shipping; and, would penalize Iranians who are implicated in human rights abuses.

“I think that what our legislation does is actually make it easier to hope that, maybe, there will be a change in the Iranian policy because Iran right now is hurting from the sanctions that are imposed now, and they know that these sanctions will bite even deeper and hurt even more,” Engel said in an exclusive telephone interview with Al-Monitor.

“I am of the opinion that it is only the sanctions that just might make, and I don’t say will make, because we don’t know what goes on in their thought process, that might make them decide that it is time to stop their nuclear program and cut a deal.”