Lawmakers: Deal Should Prevent – Not Delay – Nuclear-Armed Iran

WASHINGTON, DC — Members of Congress from the Philadelphia region today issued the following statement on the ongoing negotiations with Iran. Congressmen Patrick Meehan (PA-7), Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8), Charlie Dent (PA-15) and Jim Gerlach (PA-6) were joined by Congressman-elect Ryan Costello (PA-6) in issuing the statement.

“A nuclear Iran is a grave threat to American national security and an existential threat to Israel,” the lawmakers said. “Iran lost its right to an independent nuclear program when it became the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and any nuclear power facilities in Iran should be controlled and operated by international observers. A nuclear Iran would set off an atomic arms race in the Middle East and further destabilize an already-dangerous region. 

“The objective of any agreement should be to prevent – not delay – a nuclear Iran. The Obama Administration should not accept any agreement that allows Iran to enrich uranium or plutonium, and Congress should have a say in any prospective deal.”