Moulton: “President Trump's decision not to re-certify the Iran nuclear deal is dangerous for our national security”
Washington, D.C. – Today, in response to President Trump’s decision not to re-certify the Iran nuclear deal, Congressmen Seth Moulton (D-MA) released the following statement:
"President Trump's decision not to re-certify the Iran nuclear deal is dangerous for our national security and helps empower the worst elements of the Iranian regime. Our ultimate goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and this deal, while imperfect, remains the best available option to do just that. That is why Trump’s own national security team--including Secretary Mattis, Chairman Dunford, and the State Department--have urged the president to re-certify the deal.
“In six separate reports since 2015, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has certified Iran's compliance with the agreement. Secretary Mattis and Chairman Dunford have also made it clear in recent public testimony that there is no factual basis for not re-certifying. Therefore, doing so only serves to further undermine the credibility of the United States at a time when President Trump’s personal difficulty with the truth has called that credibility into grave question time and again.
"Backing out of the Iran deal opens the door to Iran again posing an imminent nuclear threat to our allies in the region, especially Israel, and the world. It gives credibility to Iranian hard-line extremists who objected to the restrictions imposed by the deal in the first place - the same elements who have attacked American troops in Iraq. We must continue to counter Iran's range of hostile action in the Middle East that is outside the scope of the nuclear agreement, but our ability to do so will be hampered by undermining the deal and having to re-address the nuclear issue as well.
“By abandoning our allies and jeopardizing international security, President Trump is deepening the divide between the U.S. and our oldest and strongest European partners who are party to the agreement. At a critical time when we need credibility as a negotiating partner to disarm North Korea, Trump is undermining our country’s efforts.
"I have seen fellow Americans killed in Iraq by the weapons and influence of the Iranian regime. I understand firsthand the threat Iran poses to America and our allies. As a member of the House Armed Service Committee and Co-Chair of the Democratic Caucus' National Security Task Force, I am exploring legislative options to prevent Trump from further jeopardizing our national security."
To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Medium.
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