Democrats Want Biden to Reverse Course on Iran

President Joe Biden is facing new pressure from Democratic lawmakers to strengthen his stance on dealing with Iran following Hamas' attack on Israel earlier in October.

Biden's approach to Iranian relations faced new scrutiny following reports that Hamas allegedly coordinated with Tehran before the militant group's October 7 attack on Israel, firing thousands of rockets against the country while also attacking from land, air and sea from Gaza.

Israel subsequently launched its heaviest airstrikes against Gaza with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying his country was "at war" and cutting off supplies of food, fuel, electricity and medicine in Gaza. He has vowed to "demolish Hamas," ordering 1.1 million people in northern Gaza to relocate to the south.

At least 1,400 people in Israel and 2,778 people in Gaza have been killed in the conflict, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

Biden responded to the attack by reiterating his support for Israel, saying it has the right to defend itself against Hamas. He has sought to strike a balance between his support for Israel while also addressing humanitarian concerns about the millions of people, including many children, who live in Gaza—while also working to not further escalate tensions in the region.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers signed off on a letter to Biden Monday night urging him to take action to hold Iran accountable amid reports that it may have supported Hamas leading up to the attack.

Ahmed Abdulhadi, Hamas's representative in Lebanon, previously told Newsweek the group collaborated with Iran and Hezbollah "before, during and after this battle at the highest level." However, United States intelligence officials have not publicly said they believe Iran supported Hamas.

The letter was signed by 113 members of Congress, including 63 Democrats, and led by Representatives Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democratic, Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, and Claudia Tenney, a New York Republican.

"Iran must be held fully accountable for its continued role in funding Hamas and Islamic terror," the letter reads. "We urge the Administration to take all necessary steps to cut off Iranian funding sources."

The lawmakers called for the "maximum enforcement" of all United States sanctions against Iran and for Biden to take "any and all steps" to end Iran from trading oil to China, a major source of income for the country that brings in $150 million per day. Iran's oil sales reached a new high at the end of 2022.

Restricting Iran's oil sales could lead to an increase in global gas prices next year, The Washington Post reported. The price of gas in the U.S. has been a difficult issue for Biden during his tenure.

They sounded the alarm about United Nations ballistic missile sanctions set to expire under the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Wednesday, warning that "this cannot be allowed to happen." They said Biden should work with Europe to "immediately implement snapback sanctions" on Iran at the United Nations Security Council.

Several members of the European Union will continue their sanctions against Iran after Wednesday, Reuters reported.

The bipartisan coalition of lawmakers also called for Biden to put pressure on Turkey and Qatar to cease support for Hamas and expel any members of the organization's leadership living in their borders, describing Qatar's response to the attack as "simply unacceptable."

"Türkiye, a NATO ally, also continues to house Hamas leadership and provide both diplomatic and financial support to the organization. Both Qatar and Türkiye should cease all ties with Hamas, and continue to work with the United States to stabilize the region," they wrote.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email.

Biden Must Weigh Action on Iran: Expert

Javed Ali, a professor at the University of Michigan and former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, told Newsweek on Tuesday that Biden must weigh "the pros and cons of any policy action to address concerns about Iran's support to Iran against the impact against on other national security priorities."

"Additional economic sanctions against Iran would be one tool to help curb Tehran's financial and operational support to terrorist groups like Hamas, but Iran has over the decades proved adept at evading sanctions and using the black or illicit market to move commodities like oil and gas to countries like China," Ali said.

Ali said there is "broad allied support" for a tougher position regarding Iran, including increased pressure alongside other allies in the region but noted the Biden administration might hold off on any more action until Israel begins its ground campaign into Gaza and Palestinians are removed from harm.

"President Biden has to carefully weigh these policy choices so as to not create a dynamic where the United States is now seen as a belligerent in the conflict or exacerbates an already fragile situation on the ground in the Gaza strip with respect to civilians and hostages who are at risk," he said.

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