President Donald Trump signed a temporary peace deal with Iran, kicking off negotiations over a final nuclear deal. The agreement has sparked debate among Republicans, with some calling it a ‘policy blunder’ and others expressing cautious optimism.

Details of the Deal

Under the agreement, the U.S. and Iran will immediately halt military hostilities and the Strait of Hormuz will completely reopen without tolls. The U.S. will also unfreeze all of Iran’s restricted assets and issue waivers for Iranian exports of crude oil. In exchange, Iran has reaffirmed that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons and has committed to negotiating over the disposal of its enriched uranium.

Some Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., have criticized the deal, calling it ‘the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.’ Others, such as Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., have expressed concerns that the agreement ‘negotiates away the victories of Operation Epic Fury in ways that are completely out of step with the President’s goals.’

Support for the Deal

However, other Republicans, including defense hawk Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have expressed cautious optimism about the deal. Graham stated that ‘the economic stability that comes from opening up the Strait and the cessation of hostilities could create a pathway to peace well beyond the Iranian conflict.’

The agreement comes as half of American voters support the U.S. pursuing diplomacy with Iran rather than further military action, according to a recent poll.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.