Democratic Senator Manchin Says He Is ‘Very Leery’ Of Talks With Iran

Opposition against a nuclear deal with Iran is growing among US lawmakers with Democratic Senator Joe Manchin saying he is “very leery” of the ongoing talks.

“I wasn’t for it before and I can’t see myself changing my position”, Manchin of West Virginia told Jewish Insider on Wednesday.

He was one of four Democratic senators — along with Bob Menendez (New Jersey), Ben Cardin (Maryland) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) — who voted against the original nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers in 2015.

Also on Wednesday, New York Democratic Representative Thomas Suozzi expressed concerns “that any wrong move may wrongfully empower Iran, put Israel and the region at risk, and further heighten international tensions”.

Calling Iran “a bad actor” that “cannot be trusted”, Suozzi noted that “If any negotiations continue to move forward, we must ensure that Iran is blocked from purveying its malfeasance throughout the region and the world”.

Earlier in the day in Washington, a group of House Democrats held a news conference marking the first anniversary of the start of the Vienna talks to express concern over the US administration’s efforts to reach a new deal with Tehran. 

Almost all Senate Republicans and many in the House have criticized the Biden administration for its pursuit of a new accord, and Democrats have recently joined the opposition.