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While Democratic senators are blaming President Donald Trump for the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, Republicans are urging the president to continue standing in support of Israel as it attempts to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapon capabilities.
This comes as Israel and Iran, two major powers in the Middle East, are locked in a heavy missile war. Israel, a U.S. ally, has been targeting Iranian nuclear facilities with the intent of keeping Iran from utilizing nuclear weapons, something Trump has long advocated.
Following intense speculation that Trump would join the conflict by launching a U.S. strike on Iran, the White House issued a statement from the president in which he said there is a “substantial chance” for renewed negotiations to end the conflict. In the statement, Trump said he would decide which path to take in the next two weeks.
The White House has said that any deal with Iran would have to include a full commitment to not developing nuclear weapons, including no uranium enrichment, a necessary step to developing nuclear weapons. Iran has said it will not accept an agreement with a zero enrichment provision.
SENATE RETURNS AMID CONCERNS ABOUT DEEPER US INVOLVEMENT IN THE IRAN, ISRAEL CONFLICT
Speaking with Fox News Digital in the halls of the Capitol, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., slammed Trump for pulling the U.S. out of a nuclear agreement of which Iran was a part during his first term.
“The way to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon is through negotiation,” she said. “We actually had that deal, and Donald Trump threw it out the window.“
“That means we lost our inspectors, we lost the plans that had been made,” she continued.
“Right now, we need more deconfliction in the area. We need to bring down the temperature between Israel and Iran. That’s what’s best for Israel and Iran, it’s what’s best for the region and for the whole world,” said Warren.
IRAN REFUSES ZERO ENRICHMENT AS NUCLEAR TENSIONS ESCALATE
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also blamed Trump, saying, “He’s the one who put us out the deal in the first place,” which she said “very much so” contributed to the ongoing conflict.
While he said the U.S. should not be involved in bombing missions or any other military action against Iran, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said, “What we should do is continue to provide Israel with all the tools they need to defend themselves.”
“I hope the president will continue to promote a diplomatic solution that we had until he tore it up,” said Kaine.
Meanwhile, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats, told Fox News Digital that the “question is can it be resolved without our involvement.” He said he hopes Iran “will see the light and decide they don’t need to keep developing nuclear fuel.”
BEN HALL CONSIDERS HOW TRUMP’S DECISION ABOUT IRAN COULD ‘CHANGE THE WHOLE MIDDLE EAST’
On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital that he believes Trump “standing unshakably with the nation of Israel” is the right move to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
“Israel is being incredibly effective with their military strike against Iran. They’ve taken out the senior military leadership, the leaders who would wage a war have been one after the other after the other surgically taken out by Israel. They are also taking out missile launch sites, and they’re taking out nuclear research sites, the sites where Iran is working to develop a nuclear weapon,” Cruz explained.
“Deterrence is always the key,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Ohio. “This president has been very clear he’s all about peace, and he doesn’t want to use the might of the United States unless we absolutely have to. I believe deterrence is the best foreign policy, because it shows peace through strength.”
That being said, Mullin said Trump has he’s been “very clear for over a decade: In no way are we going to allow the Iranian regime, who is the number one sponsor of terror around the world, to have a nuclear weapon.”
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER REFUSES TO SURRENDER, MORE BALLISTIC MISSILES FIRED AT ISRAEL
“So, we need to be prepared to back up Israel if they’re not able to do the job, then we need to be able to finish it,” he said.
“Look, he has said this for 10 years. He has said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, full stop,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. “So, it is not just about [uranium] enrichment, which absolutely should have never happened and cannot happen, but it is also complete and total dismantlement of the nuclear program.”
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