Clinton: New deal an ‘important step in putting the lid
on Iran’s nuclear program’By Paul Kane and Jose A. DelReal July 14 at 11:20 AM
This story has been updated.
Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday called the Iranian nuclear deal announced
by the Obama administration an "important step" in curtailing the country's nuclear program but stressed that the
agreement will have to be "enforced vigorously, relentlessly."
"This is a very important moment. The president called me late last night to tell me that agreement has been
reached. I applaud him and both Secretary Kerry and Secretary Moniz for their extraordinary efforts in bringing
about this conclusion," she told reporters after a meeting with the House Democratic caucus on Capitol Hill. "Based
on what I know now, and I will be being briefed as soon as Ifinish addressing you, this is an important step in putting
the lid on Iran’s nuclear program."
Clinton was on Capitol Hill Tuesday for a series of meetings with Democratic lawmakers, a gesture designed to
strengthen Clinton's support among Hill Democrats, many of whom already support her candidacy. But the deal
announced Tuesday has added to the importance of her marathon meetings with the various congressional
Democratic caucuses.
While Clinton lauded the administration's efforts on the deal, she nonetheless voiced several concerns moving
forward related to Iran's actions in the region.
"This does put a lid on the nuclear program but we still have a lot of concern about the bad behavior and the actions
by Iran which remains the largest statesponsor of terrorism, which does go after and undermine governments in
the regions, that poses an existential threat to Israel, that unfairly, unlawfully confines and tries Americans on
trumped up charges," she told reporters. "That bad behavior is something we have to address."
Rep. Steve Israel (DN.Y.) and several other lawmakers said that Clinton had spoken in the first of her Hill meetings
Tuesday about her own role in maintaining the strong sanctions against the Iranian regime that helped spur the
talks.
Several members who were in attendance said that Clinton sought to contextualize the deal historically,
framing the agreement as the culmination of years of negotiations dating back to the Bush administration.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/07/14/lawmaker-clinton-supports-core-issues-of-iran-deal/
