Graham: Interim Nuke Deal Is ‘Good’ and Should Be ‘Kept in Place’

BASH: “Now, negotiators are back at it in Vienna, trying to reach a deal with Iran diplomatically. If they don't reach a deal - I know you have your own views on whether or not it would be good or bad - but if they don't reach a deal, then what would happen?”

GRAHAM: “Right. Well, I would keep the interim deal in place. I would allow a new president to try to close out the deal. The interim deal has worked better than I thought it would, so hats off to John Kerry. I think the best thing for the world and our country is to let a new president have a chance to conclude the deal with Iran, because Obama's so weak in the eyes of the Iranians and our friends at large, to keep the interim deal in place. But if they sign this deal, they're going to ensure that Iran's a nuclear power. Under this deal, if Iran does everything we ask, at the passage of time, they're going to be a nuclear nation, which is going create a nuclear arms race. And if you give them any money without them changing their behavior, you're funding terrorism.”

BASH: “Can I just underscore one thing that you just said, a Republican who is incredibly outspoken against the way the administration is handling Iran? You said that the interim deal that the Secretary of State has negotiated is good and that it should be kept in place?”

GRAHAM: “Yes. Yes. I think a good outcome is to basically leave the interim deal in place. I think everybody running for president, except Rand Paul, could negotiate a better deal than the Obama administration, because when they drew that red line with Assad and did nothing about it, they're weak in the eyes of the Iranians. They don't believe Obama would use military force. So, give the next president a chance to conclude a final agreement with the Iranians. And please understand, of all the mistakes we can make as a world and as a nation, getting a bad deal with Iran is the worst possible outcome, because it's going to start a nuclear arms race. And under the agreement they're talking about, you're ensuring they're going to become a nuclear power. The goal was to dismantle their program. Now we're going to lock it in place. So let's let somebody new negotiate with the Iranians, because Obama is so flawed as a negotiator.”