WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement in response to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warning the United States not to push for changes in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the deal between Iran and world powers over the Iranian nuclear program.

Graham said:

“I would encourage President-elect Trump to follow through on his campaign promise to get a better deal with Iran regarding their nuclear ambitions. Unlike the weak-kneed Obama Administration, I don’t believe President-elect Trump will back away from his promise simply because it is upsetting to the President of Iran.”

“When it comes to the Iranians and their nuclear program – they lie and have proven to be untrustworthy.

“Iran should be required to completely dismantle their nuclear weapons program and infrastructure, and forbidden them from ever having the pathway to develop a nuclear weapon. Iranian sanctions relief should never have been granted until Iran came clean and fully revealed the past and present military dimensions of its nuclear program. And finally, steps should have been taken to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is to be used solely for peaceful purposes and never allowed to evolve into a program allowing Iran to develop a nuclear weapons capability. On all these issues the Obama Administration agreement with Iran falls short.

“In the next Congress, I intend to introduce legislation that would impose sanctions on the Iranian regime for being the largest state sponsor of terrorism, upending the Middle East, test firing missiles in violation of United Nations resolutions and detaining American sailors. It’s past time the Iranian regime pay a price for their provocative behavior.

“Passage of this legislation through Congress will give President-elect Trump additional leverage to get a better deal and once and for all truly change Iranian behavior.”