Rival Republican presidential candidates Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida are teaming up on Iran.  

The duo, along with Georgia GOP Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue, are demanding a report on Iranian military power from the Pentagon.  

The four senators, in a letter to Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter released Friday, highlight a deadline at the end of January for submitting the report.  

“In the context of the ongoing P5+1 negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran over that nation’s nuclear program and its potential military dimensions, we believe it is imperative that this report be published as quickly as possible. We are concerned that the negotiations fail to recognize the inherent dangers of a nuclear Iran, particularly given the regime’s repeated genocidal threats against America and our close ally Israel,” the senators wrote.
“ And while the Administration has failed to include any restrictions on Iran’s intercontinental ballistic missile program in their negotiations, we consider the status of this program, the only purpose of which is to deliver a nuclear weapon to another continent, such as North America, a critical data point for forming judgment on any nuclear deal.”  

The same senators were part of the group that previously asked the Obama administration about reporting on Iran’s human rights record. They say they’ve gotten no response to date.  

The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress


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