The threat from Iran is “real,” but a war between the United States and Tehran is “not going to happen,” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Sunday.
In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the 2012 GOP presidential nominee said escalating tensions are cause for concern.
“This is straightforward, particularly after the experience of Benghazi,” Romney said, referring to the U.S. response to the 2012 Islamic militant group attack on American facilities in Libya. “If you see a threat, you don't just brush it aside and say, ‘well, most likely nothing will happen.’ You take it seriously and act appropriately.”
But he said he doesn’t believe war in the Middle East is on the table.
“I don't believe for a minute that either the president or [national security advisor] John Bolton or, frankly, anyone else in a senior position of leadership in the White House has any interest in going to the Middle East and going to war. That's just not going to happen.”
“Barring some kind of attack from Iran or something of that nature, which I don't think anyone anticipates, going to war with Iran, not going to happen,” he continued, calling Iran “a more difficult enemy” than Iraq.
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