Sen. Bernard Sanders blasted reports Tuesday that the Trump administration is laying the groundwork to start a conflict with Iran and compared it to the “foreign-policy disaster” of the Iraq war.

“Let me be as clear as I can be: A war with Iran would be an absolute disaster … Sixteen years ago, the United States committed one of the worst foreign policy blunders in the history of our country by attacking Iraq. That war was sold to the American people based on a series of lies about weapons of mass destruction.” the Vermont independent said in a tweeted video.

“We should remember that one of the leading advocates for that war was [National Security Adviser] John Bolton, who served then as a member of the Bush administration. Incredibly, even today, Bolton is one of the few remaining people in the world who continues to believe that that war was a good idea,” Mr. Sanders said.

“A war in Iran, in my view, would be many times worse than the Iraq war,” the senator said.

Mr. Sanders went on to say escalating conflicts would “destabilize the region” and would be “many times worse” than the Iraq war.

The New York Times reported Monday night that the Trump administration is planning to send 120,000 troops to the region.

President Trump denied planning for it right now, but he said a land invasion would require him to “send a hell of a lot more troops than” 120,000.