WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said that Iran, a sponsor of terrorism against the U.S. and its allies, cannot be trusted to abide by the terms and conditions of a nuclear deal.
Congressman Zinke, who served in Iraq as a Navy SEAL commander, accused the Obama administration of appeasement towards Iran.
Today, President Obama announced that U.S.-led world powers and Iran had agreed on the parameters of a nuclear agreement.
Under the framework, sanctions against Iran are expected to be lifted in phases as Iran shows compliance with certain conditions.
“I highly doubt Iran is going to adhere to the terms and conditions of a nuclear deal,” Rep. Zinke told Breitbart News.
“The facts are very clear that Iran has supported and funded terrorist activities globally against the United States and our allies, and for some reason this administration insists somehow we can take them at their word — that Iran has changed as far as their behavior goes,” he added. “You don’t have to look very far. The facts on the ground are, that’s not in fact the case. Iran continues its support and funding of terrorist activities.”
Under the agreed-upon framework, Iran’s nuclear program would be frozen for 10 years in exchange for the phased lifting of sanctions.
“Iran has agreed that it will not stockpile the materials needed to build a weapon,” proclaimed President Obama. “Even if it violated the deal, for the next decade at least, Iran would be a minimum of a year away from acquiring enough material for a bomb.”
Critics of the deal argue that it will be difficult for the international community to confirm whether Iran is complying with the terms of the agreement.
Rep. Zinke argued that the U.S. should continue to enforce sanctions against Iran until the Islamic Republic completely dismantles and ends its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
“What this administration has done now is move from the position that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon to Iran will not have a nuclear weapon in the short term,” noted Zinke. “That’s a significant change of policy.”
“My position has remained steadfast,” he added. “There can be no legal pathway for Iran to continue efforts building capability in pursuit of a nuclear weapon.”
The Montana Republican believes Iran’s nuclear program should be completely dismantled.
“I’ve never heard the argument of why a peaceful nuclear capability would be a goal of Iran,” declared Rep. Zinke, adding, “I think the argument that Iran is somehow going to develop a peaceful nuclear capability is a false narrative.”
“The deal must be, in my judgment, that Iran does not have the legal pathway for a nuclear deal. In return for that, we would lift sanctions under the conditions that we can verify that Iran no longer has the capability of pursuing a nuclear weapon,” the congressman explained. “That’s what should be on the table and only that on the table.”
In announcing the nuclear deal framework, Obama said, “Iran is not going to simply dismantle its program because we demand it to do so.”
He emphasized that a final deal has not been agreed upon.
Follow Edwin Mora on Twitter: @EdwinMora83
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