“These are complex and challenging times, and we need a Commander in Chief who knows how to protect America and our allies and advance our interests and values," the former diplomats wrote. | Getty Diplomats, national security officials blast Sanders on Iran normalization, ISIL

A group of former diplomats and national security officials on Tuesday denounced Bernie Sanders’ foreign-policy strategy toward Iran, slamming his answer during Sunday's debate that he would treat any thaw in relations similar to how the White House approached Cuba.

“These are complex and challenging times, and we need a Commander in Chief who knows how to protect America and our allies and advance our interests and values around the world,” 10 former diplomats and officials said in a statement released by Hillary Clinton’s campaign. “The stakes are high. And we are concerned that Senator Sanders has not thought through these crucial national security issues that can have profound consequences for our security.”


At Sunday’s Democratic debate, Sanders told NBC News anchor Andrea Mitchell that the U.S. should move aggressively to normalize relations with Iran. “Can I tell you that we should open an embassy in Tehran tomorrow? No, I don’t think we should,” Sanders said. “But I think the goal has got to be as we have done with Cuba to move in warm relations with a very powerful and important country in this world.”

The White House, however, has maintained it will not seek to normalize relations with Iran. White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes reiterated that stance Friday, saying the Obama administration won’t try to establish diplomatic relations with Iran even after the nuclear deal is fully implemented.

“We are all strong supporters of the nuclear diplomacy with Iran. Some of us were part of developing the policy that produced the diplomacy over the past several years,” the group wrote. “And we believe that there are areas for further cooperation under the right circumstances. But Senator Sanders' call to ‘move aggressively’ to normalize relations with Iran — to develop a ‘warm’ relationship — breaks with President Obama, is out of step with the sober and responsible diplomatic approach that has been working for the United States, and if pursued would fail while causing consternation among our allies and partners.”

The former diplomats also called the limited talk they’ve heard from Sanders on eliminating the Islamic State “troubling.” “For example, his call for more Iranian troops in Syria is dangerous and misguided and the opposite of what is needed,” they said. “Supporting Iranian soldiers on Israel's doorstep is a grave mistake. And while we support de-escalation of Sunni-Shia tensions, his argument that Iran and Saudi Arabia — two intense adversaries — should join together in a military coalition is just puzzling.”

The bloc of former diplomats called on Sanders to address issues with Russia, China, U.S. allies and nuclear proliferation, before concluding, “We need a Commander in Chief who sees how all of these dynamics fit together — someone who sees the whole chessboard, as Hillary Clinton does.”

The signatories include Ambassador Wendy Sherman, former under secretary of state for political affairs; Jeremy Bash, former chief of staff to the CIA director and defense secretary; Rand Beers, former deputy homeland security adviser to the president; Ambassador Daniel Benjamin, former U.S. ambassador-at-large; Ambassador Nicholas Burns, former under secretary of state for political affairs; Derek Chollet, former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs; Kathleen Hicks, former principal deputy under secretary of defense for policy; retired Lt. Gen. Donald Kerrick, former deputy national security adviser to the president; James Miller, former under secretary of defense for policy; and Julianne Smith, former deputy national security adviser to the vice president.