House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he is “offended” by President Obama’s accusation that “donors” are driving Congress to impose sanctions on Iran.
Obama made the statement Thursday to Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., in a private meeting with Democrats in Baltimore, according to media reports. Menendez had raised the matter of imposing sanctions on Iran while the U.S. is negotiating a nuclear deal.
“Although directed at lawmakers from his own party, I am offended by President Obama’s reported insinuation that congressional concerns about Iran are driven by donors and politics,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said. “The president’s reported comments unfairly and incorrectly ascribe political motivations to the significant bipartisan concerns that many members of Congress have about the administration’s Iran policy.”
Proponents say Congress should weigh sanctions against Iran in the event the nuclear talks fail. But Obama said such a move would undermine the negotiations.
Republicans believe Obama is taking a too-soft approach with Iran and that it should be discussing diplomatic and financial actions that would put pressure on the country to sign off on a deal to curb Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon.
“Securing an acceptable agreement with Iran will be difficult, if not impossible, unless decision makers in Tehran face additional pressure from the United States and international community,” McCarthy said.
