U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Thursday that nuclear talks with Iran will continue despite calls from Republican senators to halt the negotiations in light of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel.
Last week, Republican senators urged President Joe Biden in a letter to withdraw from the nuclear talks with Iran, citing the concern that the regime will use the funds freed up by any deal to funnel more money and supplies to terrorist organizations in Gaza.
Despite the evidence indicating Iran’s direct connection to Hamas and other terrorist proxies in the region, Blinken did not acknowledge Iran’s involvement in the attacks on Israel.
“I don’t have anything to offer on whether there is Iranian involvement or not in what’s taking place [in Gaza],” said Blinken at a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Hezbollah in Lebanon have openly praised Iran for supplying funding and weaponry needed to attack Israel.
Over 1,600 rockets have reportedly been fired at Israel from Gaza since the conflict began with an estimated several hundred falling short in Gaza and injuring and even killing 17 Palestinian civilians.
Several rockets were also fired towards Israel from Lebanon Thursday landing in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The IDF reported Friday that three rockets were launched from Syria toward Israel, with one falling inside Syrian borders.
As Israel faces increased violence from Iran’s terror proxies, the Biden administration is moving forward with talks in Vienna in an effort to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which would relieve economic sanctions on Iran as well as release billions of dollars in frozen assets.
In the meantime, instead of enforcing sanctions, the Biden administration has reportedly allowed Iran to significantly increase oil exports in direct violation of U.S. law.
“By lifting pressure and letting billions of dollars flow to Iran, President Biden has undermined our allies and all but ensured Hamas rockets, paid for and supplied by the Ayatollah, would rain down on Israel,” said a spokesperson for Sen. Cruz to The Foreign Desk.
