Centcom Nominee Says Iran Sanctions Relief Puts US Troops At Greater Risk

Nominee to lead US CENTCOM, Lieutenant General Michael Kurilla during his testimony om February 8, 2022
Nominee to lead US CENTCOM, Lieutenant General Michael Kurilla during his testimony om February 8, 2022

President Joe Biden's pick for the next CENTCOM commander has admitted that Iran can use sanctions relief to support terrorist activities in the Middle East.

Lieutenant General Michael Kurilla made the remarks during his nomination hearing in the US Senate on Tuesday.

Senator Jim Inhofe, a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who delivered the opening address at the hearing, told Kurilla that reentering “the failed 2015 nuclear deal” enables the Islamic Republic to “receive substantial sanctions relief… Iran will spend that windfall on terrorist proxies”.

“That means more arms for Hezbollah and Hamas to attack Israel, more training for the Houthis to threaten our Arab friends, and more support for the Iraqi militias that target our personnel”, Inhofe added.

Kurilla replied, “There is a risk that Iran would use some of that money to support its proxies and terrorism in the region”, adding that this put US troops in the Middle East at a greater risk.

Inhofe also expressed concerns that “things will soon get even worse”, noting that “rejoining the Iran nuclear deal won’t prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons capabilities. The deal’s limitations expire in 2026, which is not too far off.”

Iranian proxies have begun using drones in attacks in Iraq and Syria in recent months, while Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement is repeatedly firing drones at Saudi Arabia and UAE.