The Iranian nuclear agreement is dangerous and should be rejected (“End Run around Congress,” July 24). It leaves Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure that openly or secretly permits weapons production. Other nations fearing Iran’s radical Shiite regime will race to get their own nuclear weapons. Moreover, ending sanctions will release $150 billion, allowing the mullahs to better finance their revolutionary and terrorist policies.
As Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei said on July 18: “The Islamic Republic of Iran will not give up support of its friends in the region — the oppressed people of Palestine, of Yemen, the Syrian and Iraqi governments, the oppressed people of Bahrain and sincere resistance fighters in Lebanon and Palestine. Our policy will not change with regards to the arrogant U.S. government.”
Before talks began in 2013, sanc-tions were working. The Iranian economy was contracting at a rate of 6.8 percent, and inflation was over 40 percent, according to President Hassan Rohani’s victory speech July 14. Yet, rather than press Iran, the Obama administration bribed it to negotiate by easing sanctions. Their economy stabilized, allowing Iran to bargain for nearly two years until it won this diplomatic triumph, which includes phasing out conventional weapon and ICBM embargoes, a completely unnecessary gift to Tehran.
Congress should reject this agreement and restore the original sanctions, which in time will lead to a better deal. There is precedent for Congress fixing executive branch foreign policy errors. In 1986, because of apartheid, Congress overrode President Ronald Reagan’s veto of a bill imposing sanctions on South Africa. Reagan was wrong then, and Obama is wrong now.
