WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement regarding the extension of negotiations for an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program:

“The extension of the deadline to come to an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program further illustrates Iran’s lack of good faith in these negotiations. Instead of agreeing to an extension that allows Iran to run the clock, the United States should immediately impose tighter sanctions to demonstrate to Iran and the world that we are serious about holding Iran accountable for its continued noncompliance. Thus far, the United States has received little benefit from these delayed negotiations, while Iran has enjoyed the significant easing of its economic sanctions. It’s time for the United States to pull out of these talks and start negotiating on our own terms from a position of strength.”

Hours before the Monday night deadline for an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, negotiators announced the talks would be extended to March 1, 2015. A new deadline for a final agreement was set for July 1, 2015.

Since the beginning of talks in November 2013, Iran has benefited from at least $11 billion in sanctions relief, including $7 billion in hard currency.

Chambliss has previously criticized the deal struck last November between Iran, the United States and five other nations that eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for commitments to decelerate its nuclear program.  Citing concerns that these commitments did not go far enough to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and would be difficult to verify or enforce, Chambliss stressed the United States should be tightening existing sanctions until a better, long-term agreement was reached. His previous statements can be read HERE.

Chambliss also cosponsored the bipartisan Nuclear Weapons Free Iran Act of 2013 (S. 1881) that would expand the United States’ sanction authority should Iran fail to hold up its end of the interim agreement.