Story highlights Sanders' speech drew a sharp contrast with Hillary Clinton, who supported the Iraq War in 2002

Clinton's vote to authorize the war in Iraq has nagged her political career for years

Washington (CNN) Bernie Sanders took to the floor of the Senate on Wednesday to outline his support of the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal, likening its critics to those who backed the Iraq War in 2002.

In doing so, Sanders drew a sharp contrast with Hillary Clinton, who earlier Wednesday made her own case for supporting the deal.

"Those who have spoken out against the Iran agreement, including many in this chamber, and those who have made every effort to thwart the diplomatic process, are many of the same people who spoke out forcefully and irresponsible about the need to go to war with Iraq, one of the worst foreign policy blunders in the modern history of our country," Sanders said.

Sanders did not mention his vote against the war in 2002, but he has frequently cited his early opposition to the bill that authorized military force, and, like other Democratic candidates, has used the issue to highlight differences between him and Clinton.

In the speech, Sanders characterized the GOP as war-mongering.

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