Statement by Gov. Perry on Nuclear Negotiations with Iran

Statement

Gov. Rick Perry today released the following statement about nuclear negotiations with Iran:

"Yesterday the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, stated that Iran would not accept a freeze on research and development of its nuclear program. He reiterated his requirement to lift sanctions immediately upon signing a deal. These statements come just days after the Ayatollah and the Iranian parliament again refused IAEA inspections of Iranian military sites. This is consistent with a long pattern of Iran stonewalling the IAEA. The hard truth, which President Obama consistently refuses to see, is that since April 2 the Iranians have rejected the parameters for a joint framework and they continue to reject the only rationale for negotiations: ending their nuclear weapons program in exchange for the easing of sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

In reckless pursuit of any agreement, President Obama has conceded point after point after point. Iran has used deadlines and extensions as a tactic for eliciting still more concessions from the U.S. We are well past the time where further concessions are tolerable if we still intend to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapons capability rather than manage its breakout time. This agreement is shaping up to spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and increase the odds of a devastating and catastrophic military conflict in the future. President Obama should abandon these dangerous negotiations and resume international sanctions until Iran understands and accepts that they cannot have a nuclear weapon."

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