WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito criticized President Obama’s Iran deal in the official Republican response to president’s weekly radio address.
There’s no reason to trust Iran or its leaders, Capito said.
“Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. This is the same regime that is currently holding four Americans prisoner,” Capito said. “Its supreme leader said last week that he believes Israel will no longer exist in 25 years.”
She said that she didn’t buy the Obama administration’s claim that sanctions would go back into effect if terms were violated, saying “reversing course will be next to impossible.”
Capito thought that, instead of reducing sanctions with Iran, they should have been made more stringent.
“Stronger sanctions could have forced Iran to accept a better agreement; an agreement that is in the best interest of America and the world,” she explained. “Unfortunately, a partisan minority in the Senate blocked a bipartisan majority from even taking a true up or down vote on whether the nuclear agreement should be approved.”
She said that at the very least, the United States should have received some assurances from Iran before agreeing to a deal.
“Before we provide Iran with tens of billions of dollars in sanction relief, we should get a commitment that it will recognize one of our key allies (Israel), and ensure the safe return of our citizens,” she said of the hostage situation.
Capito had opposed the Iran deal from the beginning. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin took several weeks but eventually also opposed it.
