This is a transformation time in the region and around the world, and its almost impossible to overstate the ramifications and implications of all that is happening now, what it means to those in this room, but even more what it means to the people in the region, and even the future generations here at home. There appears to be wide consensus that your work involves three primary objectives. As this transformation unfolds, first to create a greater respect for human rights, more freedom while building a meaningful, secular democracy in Iran for the first time in recent history. Second, to ensure a safe, more stable region by reducing the risk of further nuclear proliferation, and third, to provide safety and security for the brighter future for the Iranian families who continue to be held at Camp Liberty.
I share your deep concern about the extraordinary deterioration of human rights in Iran. No one in this country can ignore the extremely concerning increase in the number of executions reported last year to be near 900, and that is includes the public hanging of many women.
The second objective is to ensure the safer and more stable region by reducing the risk of further proliferation, and as a goal that ought to be shared by everyone. The intelligence provided by this organization and many others have been consistently helpful to the United States as we have addressed this important problem. The likelihood of an agreement, the ongoing negotiations is uncertain at best. There are fewer than 90 days remaining before the November 24th deadline and significant disagreements remain. The Joint Plan of Action of November 24th has been the subject of enormous debate and disagreement. But should the talks fail there are virtually no disagreement about the use of additional sanctions and the intent of increasing economic pressure on the government of Iran.
The final objective is the one that has been the subject of a great deal of attention, and that is to ensure the safety and security of a brighter future for the people now living in prison-like conditions in Camp Liberty. It is a commitment made by the US government and in so doing by all of the people of this country and it should be kept. The atrocities committed by the Maliki government, the unwillingness by the rest of the world to support and defend the families living there is a troubling editorial on the global response to gross violations of human rights.
Maliki is no longer in power. There are a few signs of relief from the new government. The crisis demands far greater attention and a lasting resolution. More US leadership here is the only way that it can be done. The US and the global community must do more to support meaningful political reform within the country. We must bring additional pressure to bear on Iran to terminate its efforts to build a nuclear arsenal and trigger even greater proliferation in the region in so doing, and we must live up to the obligations that we have made to protect and support those people in and out of Iran, who have been victims of growing abuse of their basic human rights.
It is hard work, it is very hard work. But Teddy Roosevelt was right. In this transformational time, it is work worth doing.