Assembly Budget Committee Chair Gary S. Schaer (D-Bergen/Passaic) released the following statement Thursday on the proposed deal regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons:
“I commend the Obama administration for its commitment to diplomacy and seeking to establish a meaningful and productive dialogue with Iran.
“Nonetheless, I have grave concerns about the proposed deal that has been reached and its long-term impact on stability both in the region and globally, particularly its ability to protect the security of the United States, Israel and our allies.
“Serious doubts have been raised about the effectiveness of the inspection protocols agreed upon and, importantly, the leeway it may grant Iran to cover up any furtive activity prior to the arrival of inspectors.
“This lack of assurance, coupled with the financial incentives Iran stands to gain, raise additional concerns over the ability we will have to curtail Iran’s nuclear capabilities in order to sufficiently limit any threats to global peace.
“The proposal is further complicated by an historically justified distrust of Iran’s leadership. Time and time again, Iran has lied about its intentions, supported terrorism financially and otherwise, while disregarding the basic tenets of human rights and international law.
“The magnitude of these concerns warrants serious and thoughtful scrutiny by every member of Congress as this proposal undergoes inspection. With so much at stake, I hope that is what we can expect from our representatives in the weeks and months ahead.”