White House Calls Protests Against Nuclear Deal 'Support for War'

The spokesperson for Barack Obama, the President of the United States, referred to the protests in Washington against the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers as 'protests in support of war.' The demonstrations in Washington coincided with statements from Senator Ted Cruz, a potential Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency, who warned that if economic sanctions against Iran are lifted, the Obama administration would be a supporter and investor in 'radical Islamist terrorists.' Cruz's remarks referred to the release of billions of dollars of Iran's oil revenue that had been blocked due to sanctions, which Tehran can now access with the nuclear agreement and the lifting of sanctions. The Associated Press reports that on Thursday, August 1, during a press conference, Josh Earnest, the White House spokesperson, was asked about these protests, to which he responded that he was aware that Senator Cruz intended to hold 'a protest in support of war' outside the White House. The report states that Earnest was asked whether he thinks all opponents of this agreement are 'supporters of war,' to which he replied, 'They themselves should explain this.' The White House spokesperson then added that Senator Cruz is among the Republican candidates who have indirectly indicated that if he becomes President, he would be ready for military action against Iran immediately. Previously, Barack Obama had likened opponents of the comprehensive nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers to supporters of the Iraq war, stating that among the opponents of this agreement are those who believed the Iraq war would only last a few months and were eager for war. The Obama administration emphasizes that the nuclear agreement with Iran prevents another war in the Middle East, but some senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress who oppose this agreement call it 'a bad deal' and say that Iran will use its released funds for 'terrorism.' In this context, New York City also witnessed a protest in Times Square against the nuclear agreement on Wednesday, which, according to its organizers, attracted 'thousands of people,' and the protesters deemed this agreement 'a threat to Israel and global security.'