September 2, 2015

With the announcement from Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) publicly supporting the Iran nuclear agreement, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) commends and thanks her and the 33 other Senators who have decided that diplomacy works and is a far better alternative than America getting entangled in yet another manufactured war in the Middle East.

Securing the Iran deal means that Iran will be prevented from getting a nuclear weapon thanks to sustained diplomatic efforts. The marathon negotiations showed that strong and decisive talks can be just as effective, if not more effective, than military force. President Obama’s will to achieve nuclear de-escalation without putting lives at risk and without involving the nation in another war has the potential to encourage further administrations to engage in diplomacy before reacting with military force.

The Iran nuclear deal is a positive first step in working toward peaceful means of engagement in the Middle East. While the deal lifts crippling sanctions off the Iranian people, it should not however, give the green light to the Iranian government to continue supporting the Syrian Assad regime in its quest to crush dissent and the Syrian aspirations for freedom and human dignity.

Our work does not end with the Iran deal. We must use this opportunity to continue our advocacy efforts for the Syrian people and need to ensure that while we focus on our diplomatic efforts with Iran, we are not forgetting about the atrocities occurring in Syria.