Republican Senators Warn European Leaders Over Iranian Sanctions

Ten Republican senators told European leaders that failing to comply with looming U.S. sanctions against Iran will likely spark congressional action, stepping up a transatlantic split over President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal.

“We would consider it particularly troubling if you sought to evade or undermine American statutes,” the senators including Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio wrote in a July 26 letter to the French, German and U.K. ambassadors in Washington. Doing so “could well prompt Congressional action, in coordination with other elements of the U.S. government,” they said.

The letter comes about three months before U.S. sanctions snap back against countries that continue importing Iranian oil and as Trump seeks support for tougher action against the Middle East nation from reluctant allies. U.S. officials have rejected suggestions that even close U.S. allies will end up getting broad exemptions to sanctions, saying governments must show they are significantly cutting crude imports to avoid penalties.

The senators urged the European nations “to comply all with U.S. sanctions,” according to a copy of the letter posted on Cruz’s website. The German foreign ministry on Sunday confirmed receiving a letter from Republican senators, without elaboration. The U.K. and French foreign offices didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. will begin ending some sanction waivers on Aug. 6, following an announcement in May. Foreign ministers of the three biggest EU economies have expressed dismay at the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran pact, arguing it is easier to enforce security measures like nuclear non-proliferation within the deal than outside it.

Under the 2015 accord , the U.S. and EU waived sanctions on Iran in return for denuclearization commitments. The agreement, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was signed by the U.S., France, the U.K., Germany, Russia, China and Iran.