The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America strongly opposes the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, an amendment of H.R. 4461, the Agriculture Appropriations bill. This act would lift sanctions on U.S. sales of food and medicine to Iran and other countries on the State Department list of state sponsors of terrorism including Libya and Sudan.

Betty Ehrenberg, Director of International and Communal Affairs, said, “The Orthodox Union is strongly opposed to any easing of sanctions against Iran. Iran still maintains an aggressive program to acquire weapons of mass destructions and the missiles to deliver them, persists in its development of chemical and nuclear weaponry, and remains the foremost sponsor and promoter of global terrorism. Any sanctions against Iran must not be lifted or lessened as long as Iran retains its extremist positions and continues to foster and spread terrorism.

“As long as 13 Jews who were imprisoned more than a year ago on false charges of spying for Israel and the United States remain in danger, there is absolutely no reason to ease the sanctions against Iran. It is clear that as yet Iran has not yet demonstrated substantial evidence of moderating its extremist positions nor its intolerance of minorities.

“We urge Congress to strike Title VIII, the Trade Sanctions Reform Export Enhancement Act of 2000, from H.R.4461 so that United States resolve to combat terrorism and extremism remains strong and steadfast. Countries that continue to destabilize regions of the world through terror and the race to achieve weapons of mass destruction and to persecute Jews and other minorities must learn that these actions will not be tolerated by America and its allies.”