During an interview on CNN on Monday, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said that there should be a ceasefire in Iran, and “We need to make sure that we give Iran an ironclad guarantee that Israel or we will not attack again and involve China and Russia in that” and give Iran a guarantee “that they’re going to be safe.” And also look at sanctions and have negotiations over ensuring Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon.
Khanna said, “We need to end the war, and we can do it with three things. We need an immediate ceasefire, stop the bombing. We need to make sure that we give Iran an ironclad guarantee that Israel or we will not attack again and involve China and Russia in that. And then we need to look at some of the sanctions and have a diplomatic solution.”
Host Anderson Cooper then asked, “Where does the Strait of Hormuz fall into that — on that item list?”
Khanna answered, “Well, that’s the only way, in my view, that we get the Strait of Hormuz open. If we don’t give Iran a guarantee that they’re not — that they’re going to be safe. They’re going to think, well, Israel is saying they want to mow the lawn.”
Cooper then asked, “Is it acceptable to you if Iran remains in control of the Strait of Hormuz?”
Khanna responded, “No, but, right now, look, gas was $2.30 before the war. Gas has gone up to $4. So, it’s obviously not working, the war. The only way we’re going to get out of it is to have some kind of diplomatic solution, and that would require us to stop the bombing and to figure out how we convince Iran that we’re not going to continue to bomb them.”
Cooper then asked, “So, is the number one agenda item for you to get from Iran that Iran will not develop a nuclear program, or is it the Strait of Hormuz, or both?”
Khanna answered, “Right now, the number one is to open the Strait of Hormuz. The second one is that, yes, Iran should not be nuclear, but we know that they are — they don’t have the capacity to put the enriched uranium on ballistic missiles. And we know that it would be a negotiation to get the enriched uranium.”
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