Efforts by the Biden administration to procure a non-written agreement with Tehran are “enormously damaging,” according to former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who claims Washington’s moves aim to “monitor” and “limit” Israel to deter an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Mukasey criticized the so-called “paperless agreement” reportedly being negotiated between the Biden administration and Iran which largely prevents congressional input, in violation of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act.
“It’s enormously damaging because it puts the executive arm of the government, which is the only arm that can do anything, in a position where it has to adopt a passive attitude toward Iran and is making promises and commitments that won’t be kept by the Iranians and that will be kept by us,” he stated.
He also noted that the current status of the understanding with Tehran allows for “60 percent or higher” uranium enrichment than the original.
The former attorney general during President George W. Bush’s administration accused the current administration of attempting to “tie the hands” of the Israeli administration due to fears of a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, citing Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Doran’s “superb” article alleging that the underlying purpose of current negotiations is aimed at limiting Israel’s military and political options in the region.
“The attempt to get the Israelis to participate in CENTCOM to have joint military exercises sounds wonderful, but I think it’s a way of monitoring them and limiting them; along with the diplomatic means that are being used,” Mukasey stated, suggesting they are essentially a way of warning Israelis that if they attack Iran’s nuclear facilities “they cannot expect the US’ participation — which violates one of [former Israeli PM] Ben-Gurion’s principal rules: that you can not go to war without the support of another country.”
In January, the United States and Israel launched Juniper Oak, their largest joint military exercise, which included thousands of personnel, a dozen ships, and 100 US aircraft alongside over 40 Israeli aircraft.
Speaking at the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI) “Free Iran” conference last month, Mukasey said he would have “loved” to have been present at the meeting where the strategy of concluding a non-written understanding with Tehran was developed.
“Somebody must have said, ‘Well if we conclude an agreement with the Iranians it’s not worth the paper it’s written on,’” he quipped.
Citing the 2018 Israeli seizure of Iran’s nuclear archive that “proves the Iranians have never adhered to any treaty — even the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action],” Mukasey questioned how the U.S. could possibly conclude an agreement with the Islamic regime.
Fmr. US Attorney General Michael Mukasey: The terrorist designation of the #MEK happened in 1997. It didn't happen because somebody at the State Department did research into the activities of MEK or NCRI.#FreeIran2023 https://t.co/JzUVTBFeV8
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 30, 2023
Under the new deal, Iran would stop enriching uranium at 60% purity, release American hostages, stop attacking U.S. military contractors in the region, and agree not to sell ballistic missiles to Russia, according to the New York Times.
The verbal agreement, which would allow the Iranian regime to stop just short of developing a nuclear weapon, sparked backlash from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has come out against the potential “mini-deal” between the U.S. and Tehran.
“Our stance is clear: No agreement with Iran will oblige Israel,” he said. “Israel will continue to do everything to defend itself.”
The previous deal, struck by the Obama-Biden administration in 2015, allowed Iran to become a nuclear power after roughly a decade, in return for sanctions relief and billions of dollars in unfrozen assets.
Last month, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated “there is nothing wrong” with reviving the nuclear deal under President Biden, stipulating that “the infrastructure of our nuclear industry should not be touched.”
Meanwhile, Republicans continue to warn the Biden administration against pursuing any form of agreement with the Islamic theocracy without congressional approval.
According to fresh European intelligence reports, the Iranians have sought to bypass Western sanctions in order to secure the technology necessary to test an atomic bomb.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
