WASHINGTON (Monday, Sept. 18, 2017) — U.S. Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) today joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in urging the Trump Administration to either drastically change President Obama’s Iran nuclear deal or exit the deal altogether.
WASHINGTON (Monday, Sept. 18, 2017) — U.S. Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) today joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in urging the Trump Administration to either drastically change President Obama’s Iran nuclear deal or exit the deal altogether.
Reached in 2015 during the Obama administration, the Iran nuclear deal lifted critical economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for promises to reduce the regime’s development of nuclear weapons.
“The Iran nuclear deal was a giant mistake. It has been bad for our national security, bad for Israel’s national security and bad for the world,” Messer said. “More than a year after the deal, Iran is still working toward a nuclear bomb and is building missile factories to prop up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. These are unacceptable threats that should have been anticipated when the deal was first made. I join Prime Minister Netanyahu in urging the Trump Administration to either make major changes to the deal or abandon it altogether.”
Netanyahu has been an outspoken critic of the deal, saying last week, “Our position is straightforward. This is a bad deal. Either fix it — or cancel it. This is Israel’s position.”
A longtime champion of pro-Israel policy, Messer met with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel in 2013, and met with Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer in Washington in July.
“Hoosiers are united in their support for the Jewish state,” Messer said. “President Obama’s defection from Israel and deal-making with its enemies was unconscionable. With a new President in the White House, we have the opportunity to undo damage made during the Obama years and stand strong with our longtime friend and critical ally, Israel. Rescinding the Iran nuclear deal or substantially changing it is an important first step.”
Every three months, President Trump is required to inform Congress whether or not Iran is in compliance with the agreement's ban on the development of nuclear weapons. The next deadline is Oct. 15.
Earlier this month, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that President Trump would have grounds to stand on should he choose to not certify Iran’s end of the deal.
