U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) signed two letters last week to President Barack Obama in regards to the administration’s silence on Iran’s purchase of state-of-the-art air defense systems from Russia and ballistic missile tests in violation of international agreements.
“Turning a blind eye to the Ayatollah’s new missiles won’t make them go away,” Shimkus said. “The president’s bad deal with Iran has emboldened and enriched the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism. Now his inaction, in the face of obvious violations of U.N. resolutions and his administration’s own deal, has allowed Iran to extend its offensive reach and enhance its air defenses – complicating any future military response to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions.”
A letter authored by Rep. Thomas MacArthur (R-NJ), signed by Shimkus and 14 other members of Congress, warned that Iran’s sophisticated, Russian-built S-300 surface-to-air missiles can “be deployed as an offensive weapon and therefore is in violation” of the nuclear deal. In addition, the letter calls on the administration to void the deal immediately and reinstate all sanctions against Iran.
Shimkus joined 106 other members of Congress in signing a letter authored by Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) that said that Iran twice “illegally tested a ballistic missile since the nuclear agreement…was signed” and urged for an immediate delay of the deal’s implementation and relief of sanctions.
“It’s embarrassing,” Shimkus said. “The ink on the bad nuclear deal is barely dry and the Iranians have already violated its terms. President Obama was foolish to trust them to keep their word.”