Cruz and Rubio Demand Answers on Nuclear Cooperation With Iran
What sort of nuclear cooperation has been taking place under the auspices of the deal?
GOP lawmakers are pressing the Trump administration to reveal details about nuclear cooperation with Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal, amid speculation that the president will reimpose sanctions on Iran and withdraw from the deal in May.
Texas senator Ted Cruz and Florida senator Marco Rubio sent a letter to the State Department and Department of Energy Wednesday requesting information about a controversial part of the agreement that lays out potential civil-nuclear projects between Iran and the Europeans, among other countries. A European statement last month suggested that efforts have already taken place under the provision, and Cruz and Rubio want to know what these entail.
“The JCPOA’s requirement to conduct civil-nuclear cooperation … has long been ambiguous and controversial,” they said in the letter, using an acronym for the nuclear deal.
Particularly contentious is a section that says the Europeans and “possibly other states” are ready to help Iran implement nuclear security guidelines and best practices. This could include “training and workshops to strengthen Iran’s ability to protect against, and respond to nuclear security threats, including sabotage.” That section, the GOP senators said Wednesday, suggests that the U.S. must defend Iran against allies who are trying to counter Tehran’s weaponization efforts.
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