When it comes to the Iranian nuclear deal, Sen. John McCain thinks “John Kerry is delusional.”
The Arizona Republican had strong words for the secretary of state Thursday on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, as discrepancies between what the U.S. believes the recently-reached framework nuclear deal says about sanctions and what Iran thinks come to light.
“I think you’re going to find out that they had never agreed to the things that John Kerry claimed that they had,” McCain said about the nuclear deal, which was reached last week. “So, in a way, I can’t blame the Ayatollah, because I don’t think they ever agreed to it, and I think John Kerry tried to come back and sell a bill of goods, hoping maybe that the Iranians wouldn’t say much about it.”
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday that all sanctions against the country be lifted “the same day” that an agreement is signed. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei echoed those sentiments too Thursday, calling the U.S. both deceptive and “devilish.”
However, the White House continues to insist the sanctions be removed in phases, which is contingent on Iran meeting the specific commitments put forth in the final nuclear deal.
“Never,” would the U.S. be at this negotiating table if he had won the presidency in 2008, McCain said.
“My friend, we would be sticking with those sanctions until they abandoned what is the most dangerous thing about Iran, and that is their spread of terrorism throughout the world,” McCain said, adding, “I knew that things were going to be bad when I lost in 2008, okay? But if you take a look at the map of the world in January of 2009 and look at the world today, my friend, you and I even haven’t had a chance to talk about the shameful, disgraceful actions of us not giving the Ukrainians weapons to defend themselves. That’s a shameful chapter.”
McCain, who ran for president unsuccessfully as the Republican Party’s nominee in 2008, announced earlier this week he will seek re-election in 2016. Though he will be 80-years-old by the time Election Day rolls around, he has said his Senate career is “just getting started.”
A senator since 1986, McCain is the chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee.
