Would you agree with me that we have a more credible military threat the more information we have about the scope of an Iranian nuclear program?
Tim Kaine
The Public Record
Tim Kaine is a United States Senator from Virginia, serving since January 3, 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously held the position of Governor of Virginia from January 14, 2006, to January 16, 2010. Kaine has been an advocate for various issues including education, healthcare, and military engagement, emphasizing the importance of Congress's role in declaring war and authorizing military force. He also served as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee, contributing to the party's strategy and outreach efforts during his tenure.
I support this because, for the next 10 years, we have the advantage in the long-term struggle.
A bellicose Iran without a nuclear weapon may still be bellicose, but a bellicose Iran with a nuclear weapon is really dangerous.
I think it is acknowledged that after year 10, they are geometrically going to be adding centrifuges.
I think the reality is, our best interests are served, not by withdrawing from many places in this world, but from continuing engagement.
if there is no deal, then it is very critical whether the community perceives that the absence of a deal is because Iran is being unreasonable or they were willing to be at least somewhat reasonable and the United States or other parties…
I want this deal to look more like the deal with Libya, a dismantlement, than trying to make a deal about, well, let us just freeze it for a while.
I have been a strong supporter of the administration's diplomatic efforts with Iran and the P5+1.
If we could go back to that status quo, it seems to me that the status quo then was we had sanctions.
Let us not leave the impression that the IAEA does not know what they are doing, because in one of the most critical decisions that we have made as a Nation in our foreign policy history, we trashed their conclusions.
The way that I look at this deal is I think the United States, by diplomacy, has achieved something very, very strong from day 1 to year 15, achieved something that it was not achieving with sanctions.
If you look at the end of the 2011, Iran had about 9,000 installed centrifuges. At the end of 2013, they had 20,000 installed centrifuges.
The combined weight of congressional/executive/international sanctions were putting deep pressure on the Iranian economy.
I do not view this as a negotiation about whether Iran will be a friend or an adversary.
I think the evidence suggests that the sanctions have been incredibly effective in hurting Iran's economy and getting them to the table to negotiate.
Intel plus what you get from an intrusive inspections regime is better than just intel?
They have agreed to all the NPT obligations going forward, and they have agreed that any nuclear program will be completely civil in nature.





