Delaware’s lone Congressman backs Iran deal

(WHYY/FILE)

(WHYY/FILE)

Now with U.S. Rep. John Carney’s decision to support the Iran deal, all three of Delaware’s representatives in Washington are backing the agreement.

It may be the most significant vote he takes as a member of Congress. That’s how Carney described his decision to back the nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Carney said his decision was informed by a trip he made to Israel before he was elected to the the House in 2010. “Coming home on the plane, I resolved that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon would be one of my highest priorities if elected.”

Just like Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper, Carney insisted that approval of the deal doesn’t mean he trusts Iran. “I am under no illusions, thought, that we can count on Iran to adhere to this deal in good faith,” Carney said. “Given our experience we must assume that Iran will try to cheat.”

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Despite that expectation of cheating, Carney backs the deal because of snap back provisions that allow the U.S. to reinstate sanctions without approval from China, Russia or any other partner in the agreement.

But if that reinstatement of sanctions fails, Carney said the U.S. still has the military option.”If military force does become necessary, though, we will be taking that step armed with intelligence from inspectors on the ground made possible under the deal,” Carney said.

He added that the world community would be more likely to back U.S. military action in that case because of this effort to reach a deal with Iran.

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