By John Gizzi
Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Members of the House from both parties hit back hard Tuesday at White House national security spokesman John Kirby’s comment the day before that he knew of no efforts to reach out to opposition groups in Iran — even after the missile attack by the theocratic regime against Israel over the weekend.
Asked by Newsmax whether the administration would reach out to exile groups in the U.S. or opponents of the ayatollah within Iran itself, Kirby told us: “I don’t know of any such efforts in the wake of the attacks.”
“That’s the objective problem with this administration,” Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, told Newsmax. “They’re always trying to ‘both sides’ an issue, even when you are dealing with people who are trying to protect themselves against evil. That’s true at the border, in Ukraine, and in Iran.
“That’s why we have to play ‘pin the tail on the donkey,'” Sessions said, meaning to take sides with Iranian opposition groups and condemn the theocratic regime.
Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., a longtime advocate of the Iranian opposition groups, agreed.
Regarding Kirby’s remark that he knew of no efforts to reach out to opponents of the Iranian regime, Davis told us, “I think of helpless people struggling. Those of us who have watched them should be enraged and involved to the degree we can.”
Sessions and Davis were among several House members who spoke at an afternoon meeting Tuesday following the introduction of House Resolution 1148, which condemns “the Iranian regime’s terrorism, regional proxy war, internal suppression and for other purposes.”
Other lawmakers who addressed the meeting included Republican Reps. Tom McClintock of California and Randy Weber of Texas and Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman of California and Steve Cohen of Tennessee. The event was hosted by the Organization of Iranian American Communities, a coalition of Iranian expatriates in the U.S.
