The head of the Senate Armed Services Committee says the Obama administration should be “embarrassed” that it’s considering pushing back the deadline for a nuclear deal with Iran.
“I’m not surprised they pushed it back,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters Tuesday following reports that Tehran and Western powers were preparing to break their self-imposed June 30 deadline to strike a lasting deal.
McCain echoed concerns voiced last week by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) that Washington’s negotiating team might allow Iran to keep secret any of its past atomic work, including military efforts.
“It just shows they’re scrambling,” according to McCain. “They should be embarrassed, but they’re not.”
On Monday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest stressed that negotiators are “continuing to operate with the June 30th deadline.”
“We are sticking to the deadline. The deadline is June 30th,” he added during a press briefing.
The Hill, 23 June 2015