Jack Lew: Cutting Off ISIS is Key
When it comes to defeating ISIS, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew says, get them where it hurts -- in the wallet.
During an interview with the FOX Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo, Lew said the U.N. is working to cut off ISIS from the international financial community.
“ISIL financing is critically important to get at. Just last week, for the first time in history, finance ministers from around the world sat in [at]the U.N. Security Council and I chaired a U.N. Security Council session where we passed a resolution committing the world to both treating ISIL like we do Al Qaeda for the purpose of sanctions, calling on all countries to adopt the toughest rules to control financing and making even middle-men, not just those who deal directly with ISIL, but those who deal with people that deal with them, subject to sanctions. We need to get to the root of their financing,” he said.
He also laid out his expectations for the Nuclear deal with Iran.
“We have made it clear that we will keep our part of the bargain, [and] if Iran dismantles its nuclear capabilities, we will relieve the nuclear sanctions. But we've also been clear that we don't have any illusions. Iran is continuing to do things that are quite objectionable and violate international norms. That's why the other sanctions remain in place.”
He added that he will be transparent with businesses to make sure companies know how to do business with Iran.
“It's going to require that businesses approach with care, and we will do our very best to communicate, so there's no unwitting behavior that gets firms in trouble,” he said.