By staff and agency
U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has said that President Donald Trump administration’s information about Iran cannot be trusted.
“I think we should make sure that the American people understand that this administration that lies about weather maps or crowd sizes cannot be trusted to give us the full information we need to be able to make a decision whether we should be going to war with Iran,” she told CNN in an interview aired on Monday.
Omar was referring to Trump’s wrong claim in September that Alabama was set to be hit by Hurricane Dorian which was quickly refuted by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham Alabama, which tweeted that Alabama would “NOT” see any effects from Dorian.
By crowd size, she was referring to Trump’s remarks in August in which he boasted about the number of people at his rally in New Hampshire
Omar added, “We are not in a position to think about another endless war and I really hope that our colleagues in Congress are going to pressure this administration to take a step back and figure out how we use diplomacy in de-escalating the situation.”
“Congress has the constitutional right to declare war. The president does not have it. Secretary of State [Mike Pompeo] does not have it,” she noted.
In a tweet on Monday, Omar pointed to Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and said that Trump should be held accountable.
“This administration reneged on the Iran nuclear deal, put in place crippling sanctions and is now openly threatening war. We must hold this President accountable and avoid another reckless war!” she tweeted.
Following Yemeni drone attacks on oil installations in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, Pompeo blamed Iran for the attacks and Trump indirectly threatened Iran with military attack.
He tweeted on Sunday, “Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!”
Wendy Sherman, the former undersecretary of state for political affairs who led the U.S. negotiating team that concluded the Iran nuclear agreement, noted on Monday that Trump has not the authority to go to war with Iran.
“The Senate is considering language, similar to House passed, affirming @realDonaldTrump does not have authority to go to war w/Iran under existing AUMF. Now would be a good time for the Senate and Congress to step up,” Sherman tweeted.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that the United States’ failed policy of maximum pressure on Iran has turned into “maximum deceit”.
“Having failed at ‘maximum pressure’, Secretary Pompeo is turning to ‘maximum deceit’,” Zarif tweeted.
He said blaming Iran for the dangers ensuing the Saudi-led war on Yemen “won’t end the disaster”.
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