Nikki Haley Address on Iran

I am here today to speak about Iran and the 2015 nuclear agreement.This is a topic that should concern all Americans as it has a serious impact on our national security and the security of the world. It’s a topic that comes up frequently at the United Nations.

And it’s a topic we have been looking at carefully, including recently visiting with the Iran nuclear monitors at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.

We were impressed by the IAEA team and its efforts. Director General Amano is a very capable diplomat, and he is a serious person who clearly understands the critical nature of his task. In our discussion, Amano made an observation that stood out to me. He said that monitoring Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal is like a jigsaw puzzle. Picking up just one piece does not give you the full picture.

That’s a very appropriate metaphor and it goes well beyond the work of the IAEA. It goes to the entire way we must look at Iranian behavior and American security interests.

Many observers miss that point. They think, “Well, as long as Iran is meeting the limits on enriched uranium and centrifuges, then it’s complying with the deal.”

That’s not true. This is a jigsaw puzzle.

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