Top Republican Thornberry Says He 'Would Counsel Against' Ending Iran Deal

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Sunday he “would counsel against” President Donald Trump pulling the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal this week.

“I thought it was a bad deal,” Representative Mac Thornberry said of the 2015 accord on “Fox News Sunday.” “But the key question is, ‘OK, now we are where we are, what happens next if the U.S. pulls out?’”

Thornberry, a Texas Republican, suggested Iran could kick out inspectors if the deal is scrapped, “so that we lose what visibility we have there.” He also said that rising tensions between Iran and the Israel would make it crucial for the U.S. and its allies in the deal “to be united to prevent that conflict.”

“Maybe the best thing is for the president to delay a bit more his deadline,” Thornberry added, suggesting that the U.K. and France could pursue their suggestion of new negotiations to strengthen the deal.

Iran, however, has ruled out new talks, calling the current agreement “non-negotiable.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said the U.S. would find ending the deal “a regret of historic proportions.”

Trump has recently refused to reveal what he’ll do by the May 12 deadline. While repeating his belief that the existing accord is “a horrible agreement for the United States,” he’s also suggested the U.S. could stay in.