House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer chided the Obama administration for its decision to delay new Iran sanctions Saturday, in light of a recent alleged violation.
“I am disappointed that the Administration has delayed punitive action in response to Iran’s recent ballistic missile tests,” Hoyer, a Maryland Democratic Congressman said in a statement.
Hoyer’s criticism made him one of the most senior Democrats to fault Obama administration on the move and represents an unsual break with the White House.
“The recent missile tests, along with the firing in proximity to a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, raise serious concerns about whether Iran will adhere to the remainder of its commitments [under the Iran deal],” Hoyer said.
“These recent violations underscore Iran’s readiness to test the will of the international community, instigated by its hardline elements that want to scuttle the deal,” he said. “That challenge must be met with a decisive response.”
Hoyer is considered more moderate than many members of the House Democratic Conference and has been linked with organizations like the Blue Dog Democrats and “New Democrats” in the past.
Hoyer voted in favor of the Iran nuclear deal in 2015, but said he had major reservations.
“This agreement is not one which I would have negotiated, nor one I think should have been agreed to, given the collective strength of the P5+1 compared to that of Iran. I believe this agreement gives too much to Iran and demands too little in return,” Hoyer said in his statement supporting the deal.
“No matter how deep, how personal, and how sincere my concerns about this agreement are, they ultimately do not outweigh the need for a united position on Iran,” Hoyer concluded.
