The Iran nuclear program's Arak heavy water reactor. Photo: Nanking2012/Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – A new letter to President Barack Obama signed by 83 of 100 U.S. senators outlines “core principles” that the senators believe must be part of a final deal on Iran’s nuclear program.

The senators wrote that any agreement “must dismantle Iran’s nuclear weapons program and prevent it from ever having a uranium or plutonium path to a nuclear bomb.” Iran “has no inherent right to enrichment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” and also has “no reason to have an enrichment facility like Fordow,” which is located underground, they wrote.

A nuclear deal should force Iran to give up its heavy water reactor at Arak, and make the country “fully explain the questionable activities in which it engaged at Parchin and other facilities,” according to the senators.

“We believe Iran must fully resolve concerns addressed in United Nations Security
Council resolutions, including any military dimensions of its nuclear program,” stated the letter.

The legislators added that Iran must submit its nuclear program “to a long-term and intrusive inspection and verification regime,” and that the Islamic Republic cannot be allowed to circumvent sanctions during the current negotiations period.

Reacting to the letter, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee said it “applauds this overwhelming demonstration by the U.S. Senate of its determination to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability.”