Sen. Ron Johnson says new sanctions are the only way to get Iran to the negotiating table. Senators rebuff Obama on Iran sanctions

Democratic and Republican senators on Sunday rebuffed President Barack Obama’s recent warning to Congress not to renew sanctions against Iran.

On Friday, the president said chances of a military conflict with Iran would increase if Congress renewed sanctions on Iran. And he asked Congress “to hold off for a few months” to allow diplomats to negotiate a deal with Iran over its development of nuclear weapons, vowing to veto any new Iran sanctions bill.


On Sunday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said he has no faith that the Obama administration will finalize a good deal with Iran, and that a weak deal would be worse than no deal at all.

“Imposing additional sanctions is the only way to bring Iran to the negotiating table,” Johnson said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Appearing with Johnson on the program, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said if the negotiations languish, then Congress should pass tougher Iranian sanctions.

“If they move in that direction, we will pass tougher sanctions,” Cardin said. “The question is when we will do it, and that’s the issue in discussions on Capitol Hill.”

The Senate Banking Committee plans to consider an Iran sanctions bill this week.