Rep. Albio Sires (D – N.J.) announced today that he is opposed to the nuclear deal with Iran. Sires, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee whose district includes Hoboken and parts of Newark, stated that he was concerned with the short time frame of the deal, as well as Iran’s history of sponsoring terrorism worldwide. His full press release is below:

I am opposed to the current proposed nuclear agreement with Iran, I do not feel the agreement will prevent them from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Energy testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this week, but I am still very doubtful. Iran has spent decades evading international sanctions, promoting terror in the region, and violently oppressing its own people. I am concerned that if the proposed agreement is made official, hardliners within the Iranian regime may hinder its implementation. Most importantly, the time frame of the deal is too short and it is unclear what will happen to Iran’s nuclear program after the initial pressure to comply dissipates and Iran is allowed to enhance its nuclear and weapons capabilities.

In the coming months, I will continue to meet with constituents, experts, and our allies in the region, but I am not convinced that this is in the best interest of our national security.

Rep. Sires is the second Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to announce that he is against the deal. Rep. Grace Meng (D – N.Y.) announced her opposition on Wednesday.

[Photo: Department of Defense / flickr]