WASHINGTON — Senators said today that international penalties against Iran are necessary to contain its nuclear ambitions, even if restricted trade with the oil-rich nation drove up energy prices.
"We cannot be intimidated by economic threats from their side,'' said Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss.
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., said President Bush should have dealt with threats from Iran years ago. He said Iran is the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world and a "force for instability and death.''
"I'm glad the president is finally speaking out about this, but for four long years they have ignored this problem,'' Bayh told CNN's "Late Edition.'' "It has brought us to the position that we're in today. And it has undermined the national security interests of the United States.''
Iran restarted its research at a nuclear facility last week after a two-year freeze. The Bush administration says Iran wants to make nuclear arms and is pursuing harsh penalties through the United Nations Security Council.
But it's unclear if the U.S. has support from other Security Council members. Iran is OPEC's second-largest producer, and trade restrictions could increase already high prices across the globe, even for nations that don't import oil from Iran.
Lott said penalties should be imposed as a response to Iran's "irresponsible'' behavior. He pointed to Iran's announcement Sunday that it will hold a conference to examine evidence of the Holocaust. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the Holocaust a "myth'' and called for Israel to be wiped from the face of the earth.
"At the minimum, we should go to the U.N. Security Council and we should impose economic sanctions unless there is some dramatic change in the Iranian position,'' he said.
Lott and Bayh agreed that the United States should pursue penalties and diplomatic options before taking military action against Iran.
