“I’m OK with a 123 agreement with Iran, like we have with the United Arab Emirates, after they completely dismantle their enrichment program,” Graham said, referring to a peaceful nuclear cooperation pact under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act. “But the history of this program is full of lying and cheating.”

There’s been mounting anxiety within pro-Israel circles over the direction of Iran nuclear talks, with critics warning the current Iran nuclear negotiations could mirror what they see as the core failures of the 2015 Obama-era deal, offering Tehran economic relief without securing lasting limits on its nuclear program.

.@LindseyGrahamSC & @TomCottonAR are introducing a resolution on Iran to reinforce “ Secretary Rubio, Steve Witkoff and the administration’s position of dismantlement, and then and only then, talking about agreement for peaceful nuclear power.” pic.twitter.com/GBCbz5WrFW

— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) May 8, 2025

Cotton emphasized that he and President Donald Trump are fully aligned in their belief that Iran must be denied any path to a nuclear weapon, with total dismantlement of its nuclear program as the non-negotiable goal.

“With President Trump, what you see is what you get. What he says to the American people, is what he says to me,” Cotton said, speaking at a press conference Thursday with Graham. “He’s been totally clear in public, and he’s repeated that in our conversations, that he wants the Iranian people to live in peace and prosperity, but we can’t allow the Iranian regime to have a nuclear weapon or have a path to a nuclear weapon.”

“That’s why total dismantlement of their nuclear program has to be the goal,” he added.

Cotton and Graham intend to introduce a resolution that would call for the complete dismantlement of Iran’s program, with Graham saying, “Anything short of that would be a bad deal.” 

This comes after Congressional Republicans circulated a letter calling for the full dismantlement of the program, citing confusion over the Trump administration’s inconsistent messaging on the goals of its negotiations.

Graham insists that Trump is on the same page following a conversation with him over the weekend. 

“President Trump, I spoke with him this weekend. He believes a nuclear weapon in the hands of Iran would be a nightmare for the world, and he is exactly right,” he said.

Iran is enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels and has enough material for several bombs, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, though no weaponization has been detected. Tehran claims its program is peaceful but has threatened fierce retaliation and a possible withdrawal from the nonproliferation treaty if its nuclear sites are attacked.

This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing for the U.S. to urge the complete dismantling of the program and has warned against any concessions from the U.S. Reports suggest growing tension between Netanyahu and Trump, as the Israeli leader presses for a more aggressive, potentially military, approach toward Iran.

CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS URGE FULL DISMANTLEMENT OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Cotton warned that if Iran gets its hands on nuclear weapons, it could set off a dangerous chain reaction, threatening U.S. forces, igniting a regional arms race, and putting Israel’s survival on the line.

“A nuclear Iran makes for a far more dangerous world. It would directly threaten the security of our homeland when married up to their intercontinental missile work. It encourages nuclear proliferation throughout the Middle East. It jeopardizes the safety of our men and women in uniform, and it poses an existential threat to our good friend, Israel,” Cotton said.