Senator Cruz defends use of snapback - 'critics are wrong'

In an article that was published in Newsweek, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz defended the decision of the U.S. administration to invoke the "snapback" mechanism with regard to sanctions against Iran.

"Some say that Iran is not significantly violating the nuclear deal, or that it's not their fault because the U.S. reimposed sanctions on Iran," he wrote. "But Iran has admitted to violating the deal, those violations have been confirmed by the UN’s nuclear watchdog and regardless—as then-Secretary of State Kerry confirmed in writing to the Senate in 2015—the U.S. has ‘full discretion to determine what is and is not’ a violation that triggers the snapback.”

Cruz also noted that "the entire point of the snapback was to protect the U.S. if Iran exploited the deal to endanger Americans," and that therefore, those arguing that only those who remain participants in the Iran deal can invoke it are wrong.

He added that the United States has "taken a necessary step to counter Iran’s aggression, deny the regime resources, and slow significantly the development and deployment of Iran’s nuclear program. The United States will be carefully watching, and remembering, which of our partners and allies stand with us.”