Sen. Ben Cardin Wants to Sanction Russia, Iran Over Chemical Attack in Syria 4/9/2018 8:06:32 AM Senator Ben Cardin says the Syrian regime under Assad cannot exist without Russias support and the activities of Iran Sputnik- 9 April 2018-  US Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat from the state of Maryland, has called on additional sanctions against Russia and Iran in connection chemical attack on the town of Douma in Syria's Eastern Ghouta. Cardin, who serves on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CBS's Face the Nation weekly news show on Sunday that 'The Syrian regime under ... Assad cannot exist without Russia's support and the activities of Iran,'. 'The United States, the international community, need to take action against Russia and Iran for what they're doing in Syria […] we need to take a pretty strong response for another use of chemical weapons,' he urged.