Top Senate Republican urges Iran to negotiate dismantling its nuclear program diplomatically as Israel and Iran continue missile exchanges.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., doesn’t envision, nor want, the U.S. military becoming directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, but that hinges on whether the Islamic Republic rejoins the negotiating table.
„Dismantling Iran’s nuclear program is what this is all about“, Thune told Fox News Digital from his office in the Capitol. „And that can happen one of two ways. It can happen diplomatically — voluntarily — or can happen via force.“
Thune’s comments come as questions and concerns swirl on Capitol Hill among lawmakers about whether the U.S. will take a bigger, more direct role in the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East. There are active conversations among senators about what role Congress should play in whether to thrust the U.S. into an armed conflict or if that power should be ceded to the president.
„The Israelis may not have the military capability to do everything that’s necessary“, he continued. „If the Iranians are smart, they’ll come to the table and negotiate this in a way in which they choose to end or disavow their nuclear program.“
Israel and Iran traded missile strikes for a fifth day following the Jewish State’s late-night strike last Thursday, where critical infrastructure that would aid Iran in its pursuit of creating a nuclear weapon was damaged or destroyed.
