McConnell To White House: It?s Time To Pause Negotiations With Iran

Obama's Dangerous Iran Nuke Deal

Bill Smith, ARRA News Service - Yesterday, The Washington Post reported, "The deadline for an agreement in the Iran nuclear talks was officially pushed back by a week on Tuesday . . . . By announcing a new timeline with just a few hours to spare, the negotiators made official what they have acknowledged privately for days — they could not make the June 30 deadline. . . .

"The negotiators are believed to be discussing the timetable for removing sanctions and how to manage access to sensitive sites in Iran for international inspectors so they can monitor compliance.

"Iran has balked at providing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors entry to military bases, which is problematic because most of Iran's nuclear and nuclear-related facilities are at such sites."

The Hill notes, "Congressional Republicans are pressuring the Obama administration to take a firm line with Iran in the final stretch of the nuclear talks. The Obama administration announced Tuesday that the negotiations would be extended for a week past the initial June 30 deadline.

"Republicans say the extension is a sign the talks aren't going well and argue President Obama should consider walking away from the negotiating table before he gets forced into a 'bad deal' that doesn't do enough to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities."

Concerned about the direction of the talks and news of concessions to Iran, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell writes in an op-ed for Politico that the U.S. should step back from these negotiations.

"The Obama Administration recently announced another extension of nuclear negotiations with Iran after failing to abide by its own, already-extended June 30 deadline," Leader McConnell writes. "President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry should use the opportunity to pause negotiations, take a step back and re-examine the point of the talks in the first place. Because, as a senior Democrat Senator recently put it, 'the trend lines of the Iran talks are deeply worrying' and 'our red lines have turned into green lights.' This pause should allow time for the P5+1 to agree on the basic objectives of a deal: to establish complete agreement on 'anytime, anywhere' inspections, to complete the disclosure of previous Iranian military-related nuclear research (including access to Iranian documents, facilities, scientists and officials), and to agree on the phased relief of sanctions tied to Iranian compliance."

He warns, "Reaching the best deal acceptable to Iran, rather than actually furthering our goal of ending Iran's nuclear program, is a flawed premise. Establishing an internationally recognized Iranian nuclear program is not in the interest of the American people. But it now seems to be the premise upon which the Obama Administration is approaching these talks."

Further, "nearly every day since seems to bring news of a further weakening of an already-weakened Obama Administration position, encouraging hardliners in Tehran to insist upon additional concessions.

"This, as Iran pursues a full-spectrum campaign to expand its sphere of influence and undermine America's standing in the region. Beyond its nuclear program, Tehran is also working overtime to expand its ballistic missile and conventional military capabilities and to support terrorist proxies like Hezbollah, the Assad regime and Houthi insurgents in Yemen.

"Iran's aggressive behavior poses grave challenges to the world, to the region, to allies like Israel and to our own country. It also presents a host of problems for President Obama's successor in the Oval Office. Entering into a bad agreement with Iran now would only make those problems worse."

"... Leader McConnell laments, "that seems exactly what the Obama Administration intends to do. It seems intent on muddling toward an unacceptable deal with Iran instead of pausing for a thoughtful reexamination of the P5+1's bottom line. Their current course would only grant Iran additional legitimacy as it seeks to blame the West for anything short of instantaneous sanctions relief. It would also allow Iran to continue to press for additional concessions on verification and disclosures on the possible military dimensions of its nuclear research. Until we know more about Iran's previous research, no nation can be sure of what Iran may have developed covertly already.

" But we can be sure of one thing: Iran would use funding derived from any sanctions relief to support proxy forces and advance its stockpile of missiles.

"I hope the Obama Administration will make the right decision now and press pause before heading further toward a bad deal with Iran; I hope the administration will have the courage to explain why a deal that undermines international security is worse than no deal at all. . . .

"The test of the agreement should be whether it leaves our country and our allies safer."

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