Rep. Peter Roskam (R., Ill.) dismissed recent complaints by Iranian officials claiming that the United States is violating the comprehensive nuclear agreement by discouraging Western companies from doing business with the Islamic Republic.
Senior Iranian officials on Monday expressed outrage over efforts led by Roskam to discourage Western investment in Iran. The Iranians claims that this violates the nuclear agreement.
Roskam dismissed Iran’s concerns on Monday, telling the Washington Free Beacon in a statement that Western companies must choose between doing legitimate business or funding Iran’s global terror activities.
"Western companies have to make the determination themselves whether or not they want to make their employees and shareholders complicit in funding terrorism," Roskam said.
The flare up revolves around a recent op-ed penned by Roskam in the Wall Street Journal. Roskam warned in the piece Western companies from entering the Iranian economy.
Roskam is leading efforts to inform American and foreign companies about the risk associated with doing business in Iran, which has been designated by the United States as a primary area for money laundering and terrorism finance.
Large portions of the Iranian economy are controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, which is responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks and illicitly bolstering Iran’s nuclear enterprise.
Sadeq Amoli Larijani, Iran’s judiciary chief, "warned" the United States in remarks on Monday, claiming that the administration’s current actions violate the agreement.
"The Americans are now acting in violation of the nuclear agreement," Larijani was quoted as saying on Monday before high-ranking Iranian officials.
Larijani accused the Obama administration of "pressuring companies which are interested in investment in Iran to withdraw from their decision," according to reports carried in Iran’s state-controlled media.
"The Americans should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran would never compromise its interests and would never agree with investment of foreign firms in the country at any price, while it enjoys rich resources and abundant talents," Larijani was quoted as saying.
The latest dispute between American officials and Iran comes as Roskam and other lawmakers pursue an investigation into the Obama administration’s claims about the nuclear deal.
Lamakers charge that the administration misled Congress about the scope of sanctions relief to Iran and regulations governing its ballistic missile program.