\u201cIf a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate [sic] force requiring a diplomatic solution,\u201d he posted on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis combination of Iran being perceived as having the ability to terrorize the Strait in perpetuity and the ability [to] inflict massive damage to Gulf oil infrastructure is a major shift of the balance of power in the region and over time will be a nightmare for Israel,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\t The X account belonging to the Senate Republicans shared Graham\u2019s post, as did Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee.<\/p>\n Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned separately that \u201cthe rumored 60-day ceasefire \u2014 with the belief that Iran will ever engage in good faith \u2014 would be a disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEverything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!,\u201d he added, referring to the war with Iran by Washington\u2019s name for it.<\/p>\n Neither Graham nor Wicker mentioned Trump by name in their posts.<\/p>\n Wicker, on Friday, blamed Trump\u2019s advisers for pushing him to make a deal with Iran \u201cthat would not be worth the paper it is written on\u201d rather than allowing the president to \u201cfinish the job he started.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFurther pursuit of an agreement with Iran\u2019s Islamist regime risks a perception of weakness,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Similarly, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who served under Trump during his first term, warned that the reported terms of the emerging deal were \u201cnot remotely America First.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, Pompeo likened the emerging deal to the Obama administration\u2019s 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying it seemed\u00a0\u201cstraight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot remotely America First,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOverdue,\u201d he added. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump facing criticism from both sides<\/p>\n The criticism of Trump\u2019s apparent move toward a deal was the latest show of opposition against the president\u2019s Iran war policies from his largely loyal party.<\/p>\n The criticism has come from both sides, with some pushing for more military action and others actively seeking to avoid it.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, the US Senate advanced a war powers resolution that would end the war unless Trump obtained Congress\u2019s authorization. The 50-47 vote tally showed that a small but growing number of Republicans were willing to challenge the president on the war.<\/p>\n A similar vote that had been expected to take place in the House of Representatives on Thursday was cancelled at the last minute by the House\u2019s Republican leaders.<\/p>\n The House had blocked three previous war powers resolutions in close votes earlier this year, with near-unanimous support from Republicans, underscoring the strong backing for the Iran war and the president within his party.<\/p>\n But the margins had become increasingly narrow \u2013 the last resolution failed on a tie vote \u2013 as weeks passed since February 28. Thursday\u2019s measure had looked likely to pass, given expected defections by a handful of Republicans and the absences of others.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had the votes without question, and they knew it,\u201d Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told reporters after the vote was canceled.<\/p>\n He said the chamber\u2019s Republican leaders had delayed the vote until early June, after the Memorial Day recess.<\/p>\n
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