We Must Put More Pressure on Iran

Washington, D.C. – Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy released the following statement on the extension of nuclear talks with Iran:

“The Administration’s negotiating track record and its failure to impose meaningful consequences on Iran for its willful violations of numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions leaves me and a bipartisan majority of Congress skeptical that continuing to pursue a concessionary strategy will result in an acceptable agreement.  Such an agreement must satisfactorily address key issues pertaining to uranium enrichment, the duration of any agreement, clarity regarding the military dimensions of Iran’s program, meaningful constraints on research and development, and truly intrusive inspections and verification mechanisms that take into consideration Iran’s long history of deception and incontrovertible evidence of its weaponization activities.

 “I fear the Administration has fundamentally misread Tehran.  Securing an acceptable agreement will be difficult, if not impossible, without applying additional pressure on the real decision-makers in Tehran.  Moreover, without a comprehensive strategy to combat Iran’s malign activities and growing influence in the region, we will continue to face a growing threat from the regime in Tehran, which remains unremittingly hostile to the United States and our partners.

“I call upon the President to work with the Congress and America’s international partners in crafting a strategy to increase the pressure on Tehran and confront the growing threat it poses.”