GOP Demands Biden End Nuclear Talks with Iran After Missile Strike Near U.S. Consulate in Iraq

Iranian protesters step on a poster of President Joe Biden as they set a US flag on fire d
-/AFP via Getty Images
Joshua Klein

Following Iran claiming responsibility for a missile barrage that struck early Sunday near a sprawling U.S. consulate complex in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, Republicans called for an end to nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic.

Taking to Twitter, GOP officials criticized the Biden administration’s persistent willingness to resume negotiations with Tehran, highlighting the dangers posed by the Islamic Republic, especially in light of the recent missile attack in Iraq.

“Over the weekend, Iran launched missiles at our Consulate in Erbil, Iraq — meanwhile, Biden is moving forward with the Russia brokered nuclear deal,” wrote Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX).

“What a joke — STOP THE TALKS!” he added.

“This should put the Iran deal to bed permanently,” wrote Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA).

“Wow. Day after consulate in Erbil attacked by Iran, Jake Sullivan declares Iran deal isn’t dead,” wrote Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN).

“What does Iran have to do for Biden to abandon deal giving Iran pathway to nuclear weapons, billions in sanctions relief & green light to escalate against US?” he asked.

“The Biden Admin is negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran that is likely even weaker than 2015 agreement. Meanwhile Iran is targeting our service members and diplomats,” wrote Sen. Todd Young (R-IN).

“We need to walk away from this very bad deal that will make us even more vulnerable,” he added.

“I call on President Biden to immediately halt negotiations with #Iran,” wrote Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI).

“It’s clear #Iran is no friend to the United States, and Biden should not be negotiating with terrorists,” she added.

“After Iran launched missiles that threatened U.S. personnel & facilities in Iraq, it’s alarming to see top U.S. government officials downplay & even excuse Iran’s aggression,” wrote Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN). 

“Long past due for Biden Admin to end talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal,” he added.

“The Biden Admin simply does not understand the importance of leverage & strength in foreign policy,” he wrote in another tweet. “It can’t stop appeasing Iran even as the Iranian regime presses forward with plans for attacks against us in the Middle East & also on U.S. soil.”

“Stop the Russian mediated negotiations with Iran. Now,” wrote Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX).

“Iran is openly targeting Americans with missile strikes,” wrote Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). “Sanctions relief for Iran’s terrorist regime should be completely off the table.”

“Joe Biden should stop negotiating with the leading state sponsor of terror and start holding Iran accountable for its actions,” he wrote in another tweet.

“Such intelligence of threats on Americans and news that Iran fired 12 missiles at an area near a United States Consulate should put an end to all discussions on a new nuclear deal with Tehran,” wrote Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).

“Biden’s pursuit of a nuclear deal is weak & foolish,” wrote Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “Iran attacked our Embassy in Iraq (Jan) & now 12 missiles near our consulate.”

“Iran deserves a response they understand,” she added. “Who replaced Soleimani? Then we leave & NO deal.”

“Iran launched a missile attack targeting our consulate in Irbil as the Biden Admin continues to negotiate to re-enter the failed JCPOA,” wrote Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN).

“We cannot empower the world’s lead sponsor of terror. If Biden does try to re-enter the JCPOA, Congress must block it,” he added.

“It would be completely insane for Biden to continue trying to make a deal with Iran after it attacked our consulate in Iraq with ballistic missiles. No talks. No concessions. No new Iran Deal,” wrote former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

“Biden’s Iran deal attempt is embarrassing America. He’s negotiating with Russia, paying terrorists, ignoring the Ayatollah’s ‘death to America’ threats, and begging our enemies to love us. Enough is enough,” she wrote in a tweet only days earlier.

“The U.S. shouldn’t negotiate a new nuclear deal with Russia or Iran, period,” wrote Sen. Marsha Blackburn.

“Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror,” wrote former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. “It must remain designated as such, and terrorist-related sanctions must remain in place.”

“Iran must never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

“For months, the Biden Administration has been crafting another nuclear deal with Iran. But we’re not meeting with the Mullahs face to face, The broker for the two sides has been — and I’m not making this up — Russia,” wrote Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

“Biden’s foreign policy makes zero sense,” he added.

“The Biden administration cannot embolden the Ayatollah and threaten global security with an Iran Nuclear Deal, worse than JCPOA,” she added.

“And the fact that the Biden State Department publicly came up with an excuse for Iran saying essentially they ‘didn’t mean it’ is an international disgrace,” wrote Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY). 

“We need American leadership on the world stage, not Joe Biden’s atrocious and dangerous weakness,” she added.

“Today, 49 Republicans told the Biden Admin they will not support the revived JCPOA, which, according to public reports, will weaken sanctions & lessen restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program. A deal of this magnitude must be ratified by Congress,” wrote Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho).

Even some on the left expressed their dismay over the matter.

“I’m continuing to monitor reports of an attack on our consulate in Irbil. If reports are accurate, the Biden Administration must withdraw its negotiations with Iran,” wrote Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA). “We cannot re-enter a failed JCPOA to further empower Iran and threaten global security.”

“Iran attacks a US consulate while seeking US sanctions relief? No bueno,” wrote Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY).

Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism worldwide, claims its nuclear program is for energy purposes but world leaders, including the six nations that joined the 2015 deal to limit Iran’s nuclear weapons capacity, say enriching uranium may lead to Iran’s ability to quickly create a nuclear weapon.

The Obama-led nuclear deal — deemed fatally flawed and highly one-sided by many, and from which then-President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018 — delineates an enrichment limit of 3.67 percent.

Iran has been accused of violating the agreement as Tehran produces more enriched uranium.

Nevertheless, current nuclear talks in Vienna may see the United States and other world powers provide Iran with economic sanctions relief in exchange for temporary restrictions on its nuclear program.

According to a former State Department official, President Biden’s impending agreement to restore the Iran nuclear deal offers the regime access to $90 billion in foreign currency reserves and sanctions relief to some of the world’s worst terrorists.

Last week, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) asked, “Why would we give billions of dollars to the state sponsor… country that funds terrorism around the world? And at the same time, [Biden’s] sending people to go and negotiate with Venezuela.”

“The worst people in the world, he’s saying America wants to be a part of,” he added.

Earlier this month, Russia’s envoy to the Iran nuclear talks admitted that Tehran “got much more than it could expect” in the latest iteration of the nuclear deal.

In December, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo boasted of the Trump administration’s achievements in the Middle East, including brokering monumental peace accords between Israel and Arab states while bringing Iran “to its knees,” warning that the Biden administration is seeking to “reverse the historic progress we brought to the Middle East.”

Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

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