Senator Kirk: The Only Reason for Iran's Nuclear Program is to Attack Israel

Mark Kirk, a Republican senator from Illinois, stated in an interview with VOA's Persian section on Thursday that he believes the only reason Iran is pursuing nuclear capabilities is to 'attack Israel,' and that any agreement approved by Congress would guarantee such a goal. In the interview, Kirk discussed a recently amended sanctions bill and responded to concerns that reintroducing it in the Senate amid ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran could disrupt talks. He emphasized that changes have been made to the Menendez-Kirk bill to reflect recent developments, particularly following the midterm elections that resulted in the loss of the Democratic majority leader Harry Reid, with Mitch McConnell set to take over as the new majority leader. Kirk expressed that the bill is not merely for revenge and will remain as long as Iran has a nuclear program. He asserted that Iran's nuclear program is illegal and that the country does not need nuclear energy, as it produces oil at two dollars a gallon. He believes Iran's pursuit of nuclear capabilities is solely aimed at attacking Israel. When asked about the impact of the North Korean nuclear agreement collapse on the negotiations with Iran, Kirk noted that Wendy Sherman, who led the North Korean talks, is now in charge of negotiations with Iran and has failed in her previous efforts. Kirk affirmed that Congress should vote on any agreement with Iran to ensure its permanence, as per constitutional guidelines. He warned that if the government bypasses Congress, it would alienate potential supporters in Congress.