GOP Senators Urge Biden to Cut Off Talks with Iran in Light of Hamas Rocket Attacks
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More than 40 GOP senators signed a letter urging President Biden to cut off negotiations with Iran while Hamas fires rockets at Israel, in a joint letter released on Wednesday.
Hamas is “targeting Israeli civilians and cities, including Israel’s capital Jerusalem. This is troubling as members of your administration are currently in Vienna negotiating with Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism,” the letter reads. “In light of these recent attacks by Hamas against Israel, the United States should take all steps necessary to hold Tehran accountable and under no circumstances, provide sanctions relief to Iran.”
“The United States engaging in active negotiations with Iran and potentially providing billions of dollars in sanctions relief will no doubt contribute to Iran’s support of Hamas and other terrorist organizations who attack Americans and our allies,” The senators added. “We call on you to immediately end negotiations with Iran.”
Over 80 Palestinians and seven Israelis have died in renewed fighting between Israel and Hamas. Israel has struck hundreds of targets in the Gaza strip while Hamas has fired over 1,600 rockets at Israeli cities and towns since Monday.
The Biden administration is currently negotiating with Iran to reenter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or “nuclear deal,” which the U.S. initially entered into under President Obama and subsequently withdrew from under President Trump. Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi told state TV that the U.S. expressed readiness to lift certain economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for a return to the terms of the deal.
“The information transferred to us from the U.S. side is that they are also serious on returning to the nuclear deal and they have so far declared their readiness to lift a great part of their sanctions,” Araqchi said in comments translated by Reuters.
