WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswomen Kay Granger (R-TX) and Nita Lowey (D-NY), Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, issued a joint statement on the status of the P5+1 negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program.

“Congress imposed tough sanctions on Iran which resulted in severe economic consequences. The sanctions are what brought Iran to the negotiating table. This is the most significant progress the U.S. has ever made in confronting Iran on its nuclear program.

“As the Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, we remain firmly opposed to scaling back or removing the bipartisan sanctions placed on Iran before the international community is able to verify that Iran is dismantling its nuclear program. In addition, long-term monitoring of Iran’s future activities is essential to ensure full compliance. Iran has not proven itself to be a trustworthy member of the international community in the past, and there must be serious consequences for failure to meet the terms of any agreement.

“Ultimately, we believe that Congress has an indispensable role to play in this matter, and we expect continued full consultation from the Administration as the deadline for these talks approaches.”