May 8, 2025
Mr. Baumgartner submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Condemning Iran’s failure to comply with its international nuclear obligations.
Whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plays an essential role in monitoring and verifying the compliance of signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) with their safeguards obligations;
Whereas the IAEA Director General and the Secretariat have conducted professional, independent, and impartial efforts to monitor Iran’s compliance with its NPT-required safeguards obligations, enhanced IAEA monitoring agreements, and other additional protocols;
Whereas the IAEA has identified multiple outstanding safeguards issues related to Iran’s nuclear activities, including the presence of undeclared nuclear material at multiple sites;
Whereas Iran has repeatedly failed to fully cooperate with the IAEA despite multiple resolutions by the IAEA Board of Governors calling upon Iran to urgently fulfill its NPT-related obligations and resolve outstanding safeguards issues;
Whereas Iran’s recent public statements regarding its technical capabilities to produce nuclear weapons and potential changes to its nuclear doctrine have raised further concerns about the true intent of Iran’s nuclear program;
Whereas the IAEA Director General has stated that, unless and until Iran provides credible explanations for the presence of undeclared uranium particles and discloses the location of missing nuclear material, the IAEA cannot confirm the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program;
Whereas, on January 23, 2025, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reported that Iran has ramped up its production of 60 percent enriched uranium from 7 kg to over 30 kg per month and now holds about 200 kg—enough to produce at least 5 nuclear weapons if further enriched to 90 percent;
Whereas Iran’s actions undermine regional stability and increase the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East;
Whereas the failure of Iran to fully comply with its nuclear obligations necessitates the imposition of additional diplomatic and economic measures to ensure its adherence to international norms;
Whereas diplomatic measures must prioritize working with the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (the E3) to advance efforts to trigger snapback proceedings under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 before the mechanism expires in October 2025;
Whereas, on January 19, 1984, the United States designated the Islamic Republic of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism for repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism;
Whereas, on July 14, 2022, in the Jerusalem U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration, which was signed between the United States and Israel, the United States stressed its commitment never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, and that [the United States] is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome
;
Whereas the 118th Congress, in H. Res. 559, adopted on November 1, 2023, resolved that it is the policy of the United States to use all means necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon; and
Whereas Congress has the exclusive responsibility to authorize the use of force under section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution: Now, therefore, be it
Sec.
That the House of Representatives—
(1)
supports the continued efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency to verify Iran’s compliance with its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Safeguards Agreement;
(2)
condemns Iran for its persistent failure to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and for its lack of transparency regarding its nuclear program;
(3)
calls upon Iran to immediately fulfill its obligations under its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Safeguards Agreement and resolve all outstanding safeguards issues;
(4)
urges Iran to reinstate the designation of all necessary International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and provide them with full and unfettered access to all relevant nuclear sites;
(5)
calls on the United States Government, in coordination with international allies and partners, to take all necessary diplomatic and economic measures to hold Iran accountable for its violations of its nuclear commitments;
(6)
supports the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General’s ongoing efforts to engage with Iran and urges Iran to comply with its international nuclear obligations and to end its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons; and
(7)
asserts that should international efforts fail to address the nuclear threat posed by Iran, and should Iran withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or should the United States National Intelligence Estimate conclude that Iran has crossed the nuclear threshold, Congress should take all necessary and appropriate steps to authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces against the Islamic Republic of Iran.