Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: Congress Won't Take 'Weak Deal' With Iran

A prominent Republican congresswoman insisted the GOP will not accept a weak deal with Iran over its nuclear program.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the chairwoman of the U.S. House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, said on Friday representatives from the P5+1 meeting in Vienna at the end of last week should note the GOP would put American security first in any deal with Iran.

As the P5+1 representatives meet today in Vienna to discuss the looming deadline for the Iran nuclear negotiations, it is imperative that they recognize that a Republican-controlled Congress will not accept a weak deal that threatens U.S. national security interests, Ros-Lehtinen said. As the author of the toughest set of Iran sanctions currently codified into U.S. law, my objective has always been, and will continue to be, Irans complete cessation of uranium enrichment and the dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program infrastructure, and that includes its ballistic missile program. If Iran continues to stall and balk on its enrichment program, the P5+1 needs to recognize Iran isnt serious about giving up its nuclear weapons pursuit and should have the courage to walk away from the negotiations and work with the U.S. on implementing even tougher sanctions that will ultimately compel the regime to abandon its pursuit of the bomb.