FIRST ON FOX: Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley says that President Biden’s pursuit of a revived Iran nuclear deal is a “slap in the face to Israel and our Arab allies” — just as President Biden is on a tour in the region and amid renewed concern about Iran’s aggressive actions across the globe.
Haley, in a statement to Fox News Digital, highlighted the revelation from the White House on Monday that it believes Iran is providing “hundreds” of unmanned aerial vehicles — including weapons-capable drones — to Russia for its war with Ukraine.
“Iran is selling drones to Russia and attacking American troops, and President Biden still wants to make a deal with the Ayatollahs,” the former South Carolina governor said. “It’s a slap in the face to Israel and our Arab allies, and dangerous for America.”
The Biden administration, along with European nations, has been pursuing a renewed nuclear deal with the theocratic regime, but talks have stalled as negotiators have struggled to overcome demands made by the hard line Iran government.
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That effort has been met with skepticism from Israeli and Saudi Arabian officials, who doubt that it will be effective in stopping Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Biden will visit both countries this week and discussions about the Iran nuclear deal are expected to be at the centerfold of meetings with Israeli officials. The president is also expected to join Israeli leaders in issuing a “Jerusalem Declaration” that will condemn Iran’s nuclear program and its ambitions to weaponize nuclear power.
Iran has also continued taking aggressive actions that make reaching a deal harder. It recently announced it would be conducting a rocket launch, while the U.N. nuclear agency has warned it is escalating its uranium enrichment.
Meanwhile, Iran is reportedly preparing to run a series of war drills in Venezuela in August along with Russia and China, moves that are likely to raise fears of increased Iranian presence and influence closer to the U.S.
Haley was part of the Trump administration, which pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed waves of sanctions on Iran as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign.
She has argued that Iran and other U.S. adversaries have been responding to perceived weakness from the Biden administration — and President Biden himself.
“By refusing to stand up to Iran, he yet again shows weakness when we should be showing strength,” Haley said.
Fox News’ Lawrence Richard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
