Iran's "free ride is over" now that President-elect Donald Trump has nominated retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as his secretary of defense, retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters said Monday.
"He certainly is [tough]," Peters said during an appearance on Fox Business Network. "Gen. Mattis understands the Middle East. He served there in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and contrary to that 'mad dog' nonsense, he is a very level-headed, firm guy.
"He doesn't want to go to war if we don't have to, but if we go to war, he wants to win. Iranian leadership should be very, very afraid. Their free ride is over."
The Washington Free Beacon posted a clip of Peters' remarks on its YouTube account.
Peters has been critical of President Barack Obama and his foreign policy, including the controversial Iran nuclear deal. He told Fox he welcomes Iran's recent threats to the U.S.
"Bring it on," Peters said. "The Iranians are so used to getting their way on all things. They have virtually dictated our Middle East policy. Obama has been clinging to this awful nuclear deal so doggedly because it's his last standing foreign policy legacy that he's allowed Iran to run roughshod."
Trump said last Thursday he had selected Mattis to lead the Department of Defense in his administration.
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