Iowa’s congressional Republicans insist Iran’s nuclear capacities be snuffed out as President Trump solidifies an emerging ceasefire deal with Iran, but Sen. Joni Ernst is demanding a deeper review of the agreement to end conflict with the Middle Eastern nation.
The U.S. and Iran signed a peace agreement calling for an immediate end to hostilities on all fronts and lays out expectations for the next round of talks between the two countries to address more challenging issues such as the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
The signing of the memorandum Wednesday, June 17, came ahead of an expected signing June 19 in Switzerland. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway for the world’s oil and natural gas, reopened immediately as a result.
Ernst, Iowa’s junior Republican U.S. senator, said in a call with reporters June 18 that “any agreement of this magnitude deserves careful review.”
Lawmakers in both parties have aired frustrations with the lack of concrete details from the White House on the emerging agreement as any potential nuclear accord would most likely come through Capitol Hill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier this week said the Gang of Eight, the most critical members of Congress for national security oversight, had not been briefed on the discussions.
“The Senate must examine the details to ensure it protects our nation and our allies,” Ernst said. “Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, and any agreement must verifiably and permanently prevent that outcome.”
She said there may be “a ways to go” before striking the final deal that ends the conflict, noting concerns her Senate colleagues have raised about the agreement’s preliminary terms.
Some have criticized the interim U.S.-Iran agreement as a capitulation, saying it fails to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and offers the Middle Eastern nation significant economic benefits with a $300 billion economic development fund.
“I would like to see more detail because it’s just a memorandum of understanding, and there has to be a lot more that goes into any level of final agreement,” Ernst said. “And so I know it’s been raised, I’ve been hearing a buzz around the Senate about $300 billion for infrastructure. And again, the administration needs to come brief us as senators on this memorandum because we need to understand where is that $300 billion coming from? Is that taxpayer dollars? Because if so, I think we’re going to have some issues there. Is it assets that belongs to the Iranian regime that are being unfrozen and how will that be done?”
Trump repeatedly denied on June 17 that the U.S. would be paying into the fund, though he said that Gulf allies could do so if they wanted to.
“Bottom line, what I want to see in an agreement is that absolutely no nuclear weapon, no pathway to a nuclear weapon, nothing,” Ernst said. “Iran’s been a big bully in the Middle Eastern region for a long time. They threatened the United States of America. They had nuclear ambitions, which they intended to use against us. That must be stopped.”
Rep. Zach Nunn says US in ‘much safer spot’ with Iran
With the interim peace deal in place, Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who is seeking reelection in south-central Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, said U.S. and Iran leaders have 60 days to iron out issues including the denuclearization of Iran’s atomic weapons systems and defunding terrorist groups.
“I want to end conflict immediately,” Nunn said. “I want to open up the Strait. I think we all do. And we’re already starting to see gas prices come down as a result of this. But I know this much is true: We also have to hold Iran accountable. They cannot have a nuclear weapon. They can no longer be the No. 1 sponsor of state terrorism.”
His remarks came after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy toured the Des Moines International Airport and a Des Moines Area Regional Transit facility to discuss the Trump administration’s infrastructure investments.
Nunn said the U.S. is in a “much safer spot” than when the conflict started in February with reduced capacities to immediately build a nuclear weapon and fund terrorist groups.
“Iran is in a weaker state than it’s ever been,” Nunn said. “After 47 years of conflict, every president has talked about holding Iran accountable. This administration, this Congress, have done that, and we got to make sure moving forward, we continue to hold Iran accountable.”
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is ‘glad to see this conflict come to an end’
Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is seeking reelection southeastern Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, wrote in a June 14 post on X that she was “glad to see this conflict come to an end.”
“My hope is that lasting peace is restored in the region, that energy prices continue to fall for American families, and that Iran is never again a nuclear threat to the United States or our allies,” Miller-Meeks said.
USA Today contributed to this article.
Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X at @marissajpayne.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Ernst wants peace deal scrutiny as Iowa GOP pushes to halt Iran nukes
Reporting by Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
