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Feinstein: Trump Is 'Right' to Put Iran on Notice

February 5, 2017

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) told Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday" that President Donald Trump was "right" to put Iran on notice after it conducted a missile test.

Iran tested a ballistic missile last Sunday in what many observers believe is a violation of United Nations Security Council 2231, which enshrined the Iran nuclear deal as international law and calls on the Islamic Republic to refrain from such launches. The Trump administration responded on Friday by imposing new sanctions on Tehran and articulating that it will respond to Iranian aggression.

Wallace asked Feinstein whether President Trump had an appropriate response to Iran's actions.

"I think he is right in this. I think Iran in wrong in this," Feinstein said. "Let me be very clear. These are not nuclear ballistic missiles; they are conventional ballistic missiles, but Iran has a lot of them–more than anyone else in that area."

Feinstein said it is "dangerous" for Iran to test missiles now and that "it should not have happened."

"Iran also has an election coming up this year, the first part of the year, and how much of this is political, I can't tell," she added.

Feinstein said that Trump has been taking the right actions against Iran with sanctions.

Iran held military exercises on Saturday after the Trump administration imposed new sanctions against the country. On Wednesday, Iran confirmed that it had test-fired a new ballistic missile on Sunday.

"The days of turning a blind eye to Iran's hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over," White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said this past week.

United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley also called Iran's missile test "unacceptable."