The next step in President Donald Trump's maximum pressure campaign against Iran will likely be that U.S. allies in Europe will join in sanctioning the Iranian government, Rep. Will Hurd said Wednesday.
"I think it's important to know that this strike on Qassem Soleimani sends a message to the Iran regime that there will be consequences for the continuation of their reign of terror," Hurd told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "(He) was a member of the most well-equipped terrorist organization in the world. To terrorist organizations around the world, the messages that if you want a terrorist organization, this is ultimately what is going to happen to you."
But meanwhile, if Iran's regime wants to be welcomed back into the international community, it must "stop killing Americans, stop killing our allies, stop threatening American interests, stop killing your own people," said Hurd.
Iran's government is "not normal," but there has been a great deal of press coverage portraying them as victims, Hurd added, but "they are the culprits."
"Stop lying about your nuclear weapons program, and stop trying to influence governments in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan towards your sick foreign policy," he continued. "Do those things, and guess what? You will be welcomed back into the world community."
The strike on Soleimani and Iran's response shows its government realizes it has to change its ways, said Hurd.
Hurd said he does not know why Soleimani, who had a long record of violence, was not taken out sooner.
"I think all of those that are doubting whether or not this was a good decision, I think time is telling us that it was a good decision," said Hurd. "When you have the opportunity to take out somebody who has been, for decades, involved in the Iranian reign of terror in killing American citizens, killing our allies, you take that opportunity."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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