WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) released the following statement in reaction to President Trump’s announcement that the United States would be withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal:

“I have long opposed the deal negotiated by former President Obama and Secretary Kerry because it has several major flaws, including the fact that Iran was not required to destroy a single centrifuge and that adequate verification measures were sorely lacking. Additionally, Iran continues to be an antagonist in an already volatile region, fighting and financing proxy wars against its own neighbors, U.S. partners and our allies. 

“Because the deal lacked support in 2015, it was not submitted to the Senate as a formal treaty and never received a vote for ratification. As such, the president is well within his rights to alter or cancel the agreement. Given what we know about Iran’s behavior and the inherent weakness of the nuclear accord, I support the president’s decision to terminate the agreement and reimpose sanctions on Iran.

“The United States, under this administration, intends to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. I believe that we can work cooperatively with the international community to achieve that goal as we all recognize that a diplomatic solution is in everyone’s best interest. We must remain committed to engaging our European allies to work toward a new deal that truly ensures Iran never becomes a nuclear power.”