S.Res. 252 — Introduced in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 252 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 24, 2013Mr. Cruz submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate on steps the Government of Iran must take before President Obama meets with the President of Iran. Whereas the newly elected President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, is attending the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City; Whereas the Government of Iran has yet to take any practical steps towards halting Iran’s nuclear programs and remains a committed state-sponsor of terrorist groups that have been responsible for American deaths in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan; Whereas, since the election of President Rouhani, the persecution by the Government of Iran of religious minorities, notably Christians, has increased not decreased, and the United States citizen Pastor Sayeed Abedini has endured a year of brutal imprisonment for professing his faith; Whereas President Rouhani has called Israel the Zionist state that has been a wound that has sat on the body of the Muslim world for years and needs to be removed; and Whereas President Barack Obama has signaled a willingness to meet with President Rouhani in New York during the meeting of the United Nations Security Council or thereafter: Now, therefore, be it That it is the sense of the Senate that President Obama should not engage in any meeting with President Rouhani before the Government of Iran— (1) affirms the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state; and (2) immediately and without conditions releases all United States citizens unjustly detained as prisoners of conscience in Iran.