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Presidential Hopefuls React to the Iran Framework Deal
Thursday, April 2, 2015 06:14 PM
By: Arit John
President Obama called Thursday's framework deal with Iran "historic," but reactions from a handful of the the prospective 2016 presidential candidates have ranged from cautiously optimistic (at best) to downright hostile.
Marco Rubio
Sen. Rubio, a Florida Republican, said in a statement Thursday that while he looked forward to see what specific terms Iran has agreed to "the initial details appear to be very troubling," adding that the deal was an "attempt to spin diplomatic failure as a success."
Rubio was one of the few members of Congress to point out specific parts of the deal that he disagreed with. "Among other issues, allowing Iran to retain thousands of centrifuges, keeping facilities such as Fordow open and not limiting Iran’s ballistic missile program indicate to me that this deal is a colossal mistake," the statement read.
Rubio said that he would work with his colleagues "to continue to ensure that any final agreement, if reached, is reviewed by Congress and that additional sanctions continue to be imposed on Iran until it completely gives up its nuclear ambitions and the regime changes its destructive behavior."
Rick Perry
Soon after news of the framework deal was announced, Perry tweeted that Americans have a right to be skeptical of the deal.
Rick Perry ✔ @GovernorPerry
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Americans and our allies are right to be wary of a nuclear deal w/ Iran that is riddled with concessions by the Obama Administration.
1:48 PM - 2 Apr 2015
Carly Fiorina
Fiorina co-authored a Fox News op-ed with Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn slamming the deal, which she argued that the U.S. cannot trust Iran based on its past behavior. "Until Iran is prepared to (and opens its nuclear facilities to) full and unfettered UN-sanctioned inspections and demonstrates that they are willing to halt uranium enrichment, we cannot place any trust in any deal that is made," Fiorina and Flynn wrote.
The op-ed argues that the agreement is a "capitulation by Washington" full of "untenable concessions." "This is not an agreement which will make Americans proud," Fiorina and Flynn wrote.
Lindsey Graham
At first blush, Graham hedged his bets on whether the deal would prove acceptable.
Later, however, Graham released a full statement in which he began to take a more critical tone.
"While I will reserve judgment until the details are known, it is notable how far from the White House's initial negotiating principals we appear to be," Graham said, adding that it is "imperative that Congress review any deal before it is finalized and before congressional sanctions are lifted."Bernie Sanders
Senator Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, said in a statement that "[w]hile much more work remains to be done this framework is an important step forward." He added that he looks "forward to examining the details of this agreement and making sure that it is effective and strong."
