Rep. George Holding (R-N.C.) warned Monday that the Iranian leaders the Obama administration is dealing with in talks over Iran’s nuclear weapons program are not as moderate as some believe, and that the U.S. should be watching what Iran does, not what it says.
Holding, like other GOP members who oppose the recent nuclear deal with Iran, said the U.S. should not be dealing with a country that is still guilty of human rights abuses and attempts to stop all discourse against Rouhani.
“Websites have been restricted and mobile phone applications have also been blocked,” he said on the House floor Monday. “There have also been reports of numerous newspapers and blogs being shut down altogether, and their reporters and editors being arrested.
“These people advocate for reform, and are critical of the regime in Tehran.”
Holding also said as many as 60 people are being executed in Iran each month, and that Iran is sending “trained murderers and weapons” to Syria to prolong that nation’s civil war. He said it’s important to remember these facts for two reasons.
“It shows the disconnect between the rhetoric of the self-described moderate president, and what is really going on within Iran’s borders.”