New York, NY, January 16, 2015 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today welcomed the release of U.S. hostages by the Iranian government and acknowledged the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency that Iran has fulfilled its initial obligations under the nuclear deal.
At the same time, ADL urged continuous close monitoring and vigorous enforcement now that sanctions are lifted, accompanied by strong U.S. pushback on Tehran’s continued violations of human rights, regional expansionism and its ongoing militarism exemplified by its continuation of missile development. This stands in contravention of United Nations sanctions during the period preceding implementation and raises deep concerns over the likelihood of Iranian noncompliance in the future. The U.S. and other world powers must be ready to swiftly and forcefully respond to any Iranian deviation from its obligations.
Marvin D. Nathan, ADL National Chair, and Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the following statement:
It is a positive step that the regime freed four Americans held on false charges. We hope that the regime will soon release American prisoner Robert Levinson, who has been held captive in Iran for nearly nine years and whose fate remains unknown.
The true test of Iranian behavior on the nuclear deal will come in the months and years ahead, now that the sanctions are being removed. It’s a positive step, but it is crucial for the international community to remain vigilant and ensure continued compliance going forward.
Unfortunately, in the broadest sense, Iran’s behavior since the nuclear deal has not instilled confidence in its desire to return to the family of nations, as evidenced by its testing of advanced ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. policies; its institutionalized discrimination against its own religious, ethnic and LGBT minorities; its continued aggressions in the region including Lebanon, Yemen and Syria where its support of the brutal Assad regime has contributed to the Syrian civil war and disastrous refugee crisis; and in its continued anti-Israel and anti-Semitic policies, such as its latest Holocaust cartoon contest, a forum for Holocaust denial that is unacceptable in any circumstance.
We see a path forward wherein Iran can increase its re-engagement with the family of nations. However, to do so, it must demonstrate a willingness to abide by the norms of this family including respect for human rights within its own borders, a cessation of its militarism in the region, and an end to its support for terrorism around the world. In any case, we hope that the U.S. government and broader international community will hold Iran accountable for any violations of its treaty commitments, particularly those that harm its own people and further destabilize the region.
Updated: January 17, 2016
On January 17, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions related to Iran's ballistic missile program.