October 13, 2017

Castro Statement on President Trump’s Decision Not to Recertify the Iran Nuclear Agreement

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement after President Trump announced he would not recertify Iran’s compliance with its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA):

“Yet again, President Trump has signaled to the rest of the world that the United States no longer wishes to lead. Failing to certify Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA moves the United States closer to abrogating the agreement, which would dramatically increase the risk of Iran moving forward in developing nuclear weapons and lead to the further destabilization of the Middle East. There are many aspects of Iran’s behavior that the United States must confront, including its development of ballistic missiles and support for terrorist groups. The United States Congress has consistently addressed these challenges through legislation. Undermining the JCPOA, a successful effort to limit Iran’s nuclear weapons capability, makes it much harder for our allies around the world to trust us when we approach them to work on these other issues.

“Today’s announcement is the latest of President Trump’s many missteps that have severely damaged the United States’ credibility around the world. After wavering on this landmark agreement, why would any country enter into a high-stakes deal with the United States in the future? How does the President expect to marshal support for plans to address North Korea, Syria, or any other crisis after demonstrating his willingness to withdraw from an agreement led and negotiated by the United States?  

“President Trump’s actions and comments repeatedly demonstrate a failure to grasp matters of critical importance to our national security. His announcement contradicts the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman’s assessment, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s assessment, and whatever assessment he made that prompted him to twice certify Iran’s compliance this year. Congress must not vote to reapply sanctions suspended under the JCPOA and risk compounding the damage done by this reckless decision.”

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