Republican lawmakers are calling for Iran to be expelled from the main financial system that oversees international bank transfers, as the Trump administration steadily re-imposes sanctions on the country following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
A group of 16 GOP senators led by Ted Cruz of Texas urged Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin on Thursday to take "all necessary steps" to disconnect Iran from the SWIFT network, which allows financial institutions to send and receive information about banking transactions.
"Quick robust enforcement will be critical for the administration's maximum pressure strategy to succeed, both immediately to drain the Iranian regime's resources for malign behavior and as a signal of America's commitment to maintaining the integrity of our sanctions architecture," they wrote.
"The administration's maximum pressure campaign will not succeed if the Islamic Republic remains connected to SWIFT."
Heiko Maas' suggestion was part of a wider-ranging piece in the daily Handelsblatt on Germany's future strategy toward the U.S. He said he envisions Europe taking a "balanced share of responsibility" and being "a counterbalance when the U.S. crosses red lines."