A bipartisan slate of 27 congressmen urged Switzerland to cancel a natural gas deal with Iran. Elekrtrizitaetsgesellschaft Laufenberg, an energy trader, reportedly has signed a $42 billion deal with the state-owned National Iranian Gas Export Company. The May 28 congressional letter, initiated by U.S. Reps. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) and Jim Saxton (R-N.J.), says energy deals with Iran undercut U.N. Security Council sanctions on Iran’s energy sector aimed at pressing Iran to give up its suspected nuclear weapons program. “In addition to straining U.S.-Swiss relations, this energy agreement will erode the international community’s efforts to isolate and deter Iran from pursuing a dangerous nuclear program and continuing its financial support for terrorist organizations,” says the letter addressed to Swiss President Pascal Couchepin. “We encourage you to take a leadership role by terminating this agreement immediately.”
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