Sen. Rand Paul toughened his rhetoric against Iran after the country briefly detained American sailors this week, saying Thursday that the longtime U.S. foe needs to be watched “like a hawk.”
“I still wonder whether or not they want to be part of the civilized world,” Paul told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room.” “But you still wonder about a nation that is using what appears to be video of our soldiers as pawns in a propaganda war.”
Footage of the incident, featuring sailors on their knees, was met with outrage, particularly from critics of the Obama administration. And Paul, a presidential candidate, said the video makes clear why the U.S. needs to be extra vigilant with the nation, especially following the historic nuclear deal reached last summer.
“I do separate myself from many other Republicans in that I do hope the negotiation works,” Paul said. “But we’re going to have to watch them like a hawk.”