Gillibrand: Russia Is Trying to Dodge Sanctions, Ensure an Oil Market in Iran Talks

On Wednesday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) argued that Russia is not participating in the Iran nuclear deal negotiations “in a legitimate or honest way” and is trying to get around sanctions and ensure a market for their oil. She warned that “we have to be very careful in not negotiating against ourselves,” and that “any negotiations with regard to an Iran deal will be quite difficult to accomplish in the near term.”

Gillibrand said, [relevant remarks begin around 4:50] “So, our negotiations for a new Iran deal are highly complex. We are hoping to forestall any militarization and nuclearization of their nuclear capabilities, in terms of putting a nuclear weapon on a missile, for example. And it’s a very precarious negotiation. Because Iran continues to fund terrorism, they continue to invest in their missile technology, they have continued to refine uranium, they have a great deal of stockpiles created over the last few years when we were outside of the agreement under President Trump. And so, as a consequence, it is not an easy negotiation. And I don’t think Russia is at the table in a legitimate or honest way. I think they are looking for ways to get around the sanctions against them. And I think they are looking for ways to have a market for their oil. And I think we have to be very careful in not negotiating against ourselves, especially with what Russia’s doing with Ukraine. So, I think any negotiations with regard to an Iran deal will be quite difficult to accomplish in the near term.”

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