House Speaker Paul Ryan acknowledged Friday that the Iran nuclear deal is likely to stay in place due to the rolling back of the multi-lateral sanctions that were previously in place against Iran, and praised President Trump’s decision Friday to tag the Iranians with new sanctions.
In an interview set to air Sunday, Ryan told “Meet The Press” that the new sanctions imposed on the Iranians “make a lot of sense” after discussing how tough it is to reverse the nuclear deal struck in July, 2015, saying that most of the deal is baked in the cake thanks to the lifting of the sanctions.
“Well, a lot of that toothpaste is already out of the tube. I never supported the deal in the first place. I thought it was a huge mistake. But the multilateral sanctions are done,” Ryan said. “I don’t think you’re going to go back and reconstitute the multilateral sanctions that were in place. ”
However, the Wisconsin Republican argued that the U.S. should do what they are able, pointing to the sanctions Trump imposed on Iran Friday, which will target 13 individuals and 12 companies, according to the Treasury Department. He also called for the new administration to “rigorously enforce” the nuclear agreement.
“I think we should expend our effort where it can pay off the most,” Ryan said. “And that’s why I think what they’re doing now does make a lot of sense. So I think the key is to rigorously enforce this deal.”
“I think what this administration is doing, which I agree with, is saying, ‘We have a new administration, and we’re going to hold you, Iran, to account,'” Ryan said. “This last administration did not do that. This new administration needs to do that. And I think that’s what you’re getting here.”
