Graham: Iran Deal 'Like Swiss Cheese'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the interim deal going into effect with Iran in five days “like Swiss cheese.”

“It’s got holes all in it. The deal allows the Iranians to do R and D, research and development on centrifuges. Our guys say that means just pen and paper. They can design centrifuges for research and development. The Iranians say no. We can actually operate centrifuges,” Graham said on Fox.

“What am I supposed to? The Iranians are trying to get a nuclear weapon, when they say they are not, they are lying. If they get a nuclear weapon, if the Ayatollahs get nukes, God help us all.”

Graham referenced a Los Angeles Times story in which Iran’s chief negotiator said key elements of the nuclear deal are actually contained in a 30-page secret side deal that hasn’t been revealed. The State Department denied the story.

“Secretary John McCain and myself were writing a letter to Secretary Kerry. Is it true? If it’s not, tell us, tell the Iranians to stop doing this but, we’re writing a letter to Secretary Kerry. Is there any deal that’s classified? Is there a side deal? Their own — they are trying to get a nuclear weapon. This interim deal, what’s the goal? Is to make sure they can’t,” he said.

“In the next six months that they tried very hard they could have a nuclear weapon. At the end of this deal, when the six months is up, how far away from a nuclear weapon are they? Will they react or that produces plutonium dismantled? Will it be turned over into the international community or just some? Will they still have thousands of centrifuges?”

Still, Graham said, President Obama’s only response is “don’t do sanctions, Lindsey.”

“If you do another round of sanctions, you are going to destroy the last chance for peace. I would say, Mr. President, the people you are dealing with are liars,” he said.

“I think this is Syria all over again. This is North Korea all over again. The people who did North Korea are in charge of these negotiations. Here is what I believe. I don’t think this administration really has an end game of stopping the enrichment program. They are trying to reduce it. If you are Israel, could you live in peace with the idea that the ayatollahs have the capability to turn uranium into bomb material? I couldn’t,” Graham continued.

“This interim deal is a bad deal and if we don’t start disciplining the Iranians, they are going on all up for us.”