Clinton makes case for deal; warns Iran will test next president

Hillary Clinton offered a full endorsement of the Iran nuclear deal in a major speech on Wednesday in which she also pledged to make sure Tehran abides by its terms.

{mosads}“My starting point will be one of distrust. … My approach will be distrust and verify,” the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination told an audience at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

“We should anticipate that Iran will test the next president. … They will see how far they can bend the rules,” she added.

“Here’s my message to Iran’s leaders: The United States will never allow you to acquire a nuclear weapon,” she continued. “As president, I will do whatever is necessary. … I will not hesitate to take military action.”

Clinton also vowed to increase military support to Israel, where the government strongly opposes the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration.

She said she would sustain a “robust military presence” in the Persian Gulf, especially air and naval assets, and do more to crack down on Iranian weapons shipments to terrorist groups.

“I support this deal. I support it as part of a larger strategy toward Iran,” Clinton clarified.

Clinton admitted the deal’s 24-day process to inspect suspected nuclear sites “is not perfect,” but said the deal is the best way to block Iran’s path to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“Is it perfect? Well of course not. No agreement like this ever is. But is it a strong agreement? Yes it is. And we should absolutely not turn it down.

“Diplomacy is not the pursuit of perfection. It’s the balancing of risk,” she added.

Clinton also said she did not believe the deal would change Iran, and raised questions about whether its government would cheat on the agreement’s terms.

“This isn’t the start of some broader diplomatic opening. And we shouldn’t expect that this deal will lead to broader changes in their behavior,” Clinton said.

“We need to be prepared for three scenarios. First: Iran decides to cheat. … [Second:] Iran tries to wait us out. … And third: Iran ramps up its dangerous behavior in the region, including its support for terrorists groups Hamas and Hezbollah,” she said.

Clinton also pledged to bring home Americans detained in Iran.

“I will not rest until every single American detained and missing in Iran is home,” she added.

Polls suggest many voters don’t believe Iran will abide by the deal’s terms, and Clinton’s support for it could carry political risks. Her speech will tie her closer to President Obama on the deal, which was negotiated after she left his administration.

However, throughout her speech at Brookings, she touted her own role in obtaining the nuclear deal.

She outlined her own role in establishing the back channel negotiations with Iran, as secretary of State, when “Iran was racing toward a nuclear capability,” and her support for U.S. sanctions as a New York senator.

But she said the sanctions “weren’t having much effect” by themselves.

“President Obama and I pursued a two-prong strategy” of engagement and pressure, to “significantly raise the cost of Iranian defiance,” she said.

“Meanwhile, I traveled the world … twisting arms to help build the global coalition,” she said.

Clinton took a shot at 2016 Republican presidential candidates who said they would rip up the deal on “day one” if elected president.

“That’s not leadership, that’s recklessness,” she claimed.

Clinton delivered her speech in Washington on the same day that Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner, will appear at the Capitol for a rally against the deal.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is also speaking at the event, as well as conservative radio host Glenn Beck and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R).

Clinton’s speech comes a day after Obama secured enough support in the Senate from Democrats to ensure the deal will be upheld. On Tuesday, three Democrats came out in support of the deal, bringing the count up to 42. Forty votes were needed to filibuster a resolution of disapproval.

–This report was updated at 11:19 a.m.