A new ad is accusing Senator Rand Paul (R., Ky.) of having favored President Obama’s negotiations with the Iranian regime, even though he has said he opposes the nuclear deal that resulted.
The ad, which was paid for by the Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America, is set to hit the airwaves after the first Republican presidential debate concludes on Thursday night, per the New York Times. It features two examples of Paul saying he backs the talks that led to the deal, and urges voters to call Paul’s office and, “tell him to stop siding with Obama and to stand up to Iran.”
But Paul’s opposition to the deal is a matter of public record:
The proposed agreement with Iran is unacceptable and I will vote against the agreement. 1/2
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 14, 2015
The deal is bad because 1) sanctions relief precedes evidence of compliance
2) Iran is left with significant nuclear capacity 2/2— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 14, 2015
It also lifts the ban on selling advanced weapons to Iran. Better to keep the interim agreement in place instead of accepting a bad deal.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 14, 2015
The Kentucky Senator walked a fine line when discussing the negotiations earlier this spring, before the deal was announced. “I believe in applying Reagan’s approach to foreign policy to the Iran issue,” he said during his presidential announcement. “I will oppose any deal that does not end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and have strong verification measures. And I will insist that the final version be brought before Congress. The difference between President Obama and myself [is], he seems to think you can negotiate from a position of weakness.”
His father, the original icon of Rand Paul’s libertarian base, supports the deal and has criticized the Republican senators who signed an open letter reminding Iran that treaties need congressional approval. “They’re out to stop peace,” the elder Paul said. “They’re terrified that peace might break out.”
Rand Paul joined his colleagues in signing the letter his father criticized. “I want the negotiated deal to be a good deal,” he said in March. “So my reason for signing onto the letter, I think it reiterates what is the actual law, that Congress will have to undo sanctions. But I also signed onto the letter because I want the president to negotiate from a position of strength, which means that he needs to be telling them in Iran that ‘I’ve got Congress to deal with.’”
— Joel Gehrke is a political reporter for National Review.