Zeldin seeks to defund Obama talks with Iran

Rep. Lee Zeldin has sent a letter asking members of the House Appropriations Committee to zero out the funding in the fiscal year 2016 budget for President Barack Obama’s negotiations with Iran over its nuclear capabilities.

Zeldin, the only Jewish GOP House member, joined eight other Republicans on the letter, which he sent to the ranking members of the Appropriations subcommittee for the State Department: Reps. Kay Granger (R-Texas) and Nita Lowey (D-Westchester).

“After two negotiation extensions, billions of dollars in sanctions relief, and an emerging deal that would utterly fail to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, we should abandon these talks until Tehran is prepared to make meaningful concessions that would truly block its path to a bomb,” said the letter.

Zeldin, a freshman Republican from Shirley, confirmed through an aide that he signed and sent the letter, which was first reported by The Hill.

Zeldin called for Obama “to immediately hit the pause button on these negotiations.”

“Iran, a nation that is an active sponsor of terrorism, is clearly not negotiating in good faith,” Zeldin said in a statement. “When the president gets played at the table, our entire nation gets played.”