(NewsGlobal.com)- Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) criticized the possibility of a new nuclear agreement with Iran on Tuesday, as Iran agreed to drop some of its demands and rumors swirled of an approaching accord.
Cruz blasted Biden, saying that he gave Afghanistan to the Taliban and plans to give Iran a nuclear arsenal. He said this agreement would empower Iranian terrorism, killing thousands. Tens of millions may die from the Ayatollah’s nuclear arsenal.
The first Iran deal was reached after years of sanctions, which then-President Barack Obama opposed but convinced Iran to negotiate. As a prerequisite to talks, the U.S. eased several sanctions, allowing Iran’s economy to recover and reducing western leverage over the regime. Netanyahu warned Congress that the pact would be unsuccessful unless it penalized Iran for terrorism.
Obama defied Netanyahu and reached an agreement that slowed Iran’s nuclear program, allowing it to become a nuclear power in a decade. As Obama promised, the deal didn’t limit ballistic missile development or address Iran’s terrorism. Also, Iran’s prior nuclear operations weren’t fully disclosed. It lifted sanctions and provided the dictatorship access to $150 billion in international assets, including billions for U.S. inmates.
Constitutionally, the deal was never ratified by the Senate. Obama agreed to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which required Congress to approve the contract by a comparable majority, but Senate Democrats filibustered a disapproving vote. Iran pursued its nuclear program while funding terrorist proxies. Netanyahu showed Iran cheated on the pact using stolen intelligence.
Trump withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and applied “maximum pressure” on the government, utilizing sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program and human rights abuses. Trump created a coalition of supportive Middle Eastern governments frightened by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, culminating in the Abraham Accords, a peace accord between Israel and various Arab and Muslim states.
Biden promised to extend the nuclear deal. Iran dragged out negotiations while enriching uranium, approaching the “breakout” threshold. The Biden administration conceded that Iran had little interest in negotiating but persevered, appeasing the regime in Yemen. The U.S. refused to delist the IRGC as a terror organisation.
Cruz warned Monday that a new deal would risk further deceit and allow Iran to become a nuclear power in exchange for undeserved sanctions relief. He pledged to veto the pact and reverse it in a new administration.
Iran dropped its effort to delist the IRGC this week. This has stoked speculation about an imminent deal; Israel’s defense minister, Benny Gantz, will fly to the U.S. to convince U.S. authorities not to reach an agreement with Iran. Israel has long reserved the right to execute a unilateral preemptive strike against Iran’s nuclear program.
