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Need to fix spam filter                                  2013-06-14
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Probably have to fix my spam filter....

> Dear Michael:

> Thank you for writing.  I have heard from many Americans about
> our Nation's foreign policy toward Iran, and I appreciate your
> perspective.

> For years, the Iranian government has failed to live up to its
> obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.  It has
> violated its commitments to the International Atomic Energy
> Agency.  It has ignored United Nations Security Council
> resolutions.  And while Iran's leaders hide behind outlandish
> rhetoric, their actions continue to be deeply troubling.

> As President, my highest priority is the safety of the American
> people.  That is why I have taken comprehensive action to prevent
> Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, including mobilizing the
> broadest international coalition to implement the strongest
> sanctions against Iran in history.  To prevent Iran from evading
> sanctions through deceptive practices, we implemented additional
> restrictions in 2012.  As a result of these strict measures, the
> value of Iran's currency has dropped 80 percent and its oil
> production has plunged to a 20-year low.  If Iran wishes to lift
> these sanctions and rejoin the international community, it must
> address the concerns regarding its nuclear program and come into
> compliance with its nonproliferation obligations.  Otherwise,
> Iran's isolation will only continue to grow.

> My Administration is also pressuring Iran to end its policies of
> supporting terrorist groups abroad, pursuing destabilizing
> activities throughout the region, propping up a dictator in
> Damascus, and suppressing the rights of its own people.  The
> Iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history, and many
> Iranians wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their
> neighbors.  Yet their own government restricts basic freedoms
> including speech, assembly, and--increasingly--the right to access
> information.  An electronic curtain has fallen over Iran,
> blocking the free flow of ideas into the country and denying the
> rest of the world the benefit of interacting with the Iranian
> people.  My Administration is working to draw attention to the
> electronic curtain, grow our dialogue with the Iranian people,
> and advance the universal rights to which all humans are
> entitled.

> America and our allies have offered a clear choice for the
> Iranian regime: a path that allows Iran to rejoin the global
> community if it meets international obligations, or a path that
> leads to an escalating series of consequences if it does not.
> The door to diplomacy remains open, and we continue to seek a
> future where Iran's leaders do not hold their own people back and
> where Iran can reclaim its place in the community of nations.

> Thank you, again, for writing.  To learn more about my
> Administration's approach, please visit
> http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/Issues/Foreign-Policy.

> Sincerely,

> Barack Obama