House Intelligence chair says Congress should consider travel ban to Iran

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio.) said Sunday that Congress should consider implementing a travel ban on Iran. 

During an appearance on CBS’s “Face The Nation,” Turner, who is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told moderator Margaret Brennan that he would support a broader diplomatic deal and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran that would eventually freeze progress in Iran’s nuclear program.  

In 2018, then-President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal Iran reached with the P5+1 and European Union in 2015.

“But the terms of the deal are absolutely important, because you know, last time we had an insufficient inspection regime, we had terms that were critical that expired,” Turner told Brennan.  

“In this instance, they appear to be careening toward a deal that would be informal, not subject to congressional oversight, because we wouldn’t know all the terms,” Turner added, noting that lawmakers don’t want a secret deal with Iran.

When Brennan asked if Congress should implement a travel ban to Iran, Turner replied that it should be under consideration. 

“I think it’s, it’s — it should be certainly considered,” Turner said. “I think the — I know you’re going to have coming up, one of the family members of one of the detainees, and I think her message is incredibly important; people should not be going to Iran.”

The Biden administration reached a tentative agreement with Iran last week that would see the release of five detained Americans and an unknown number of Iran prisoners in the U.S. 

When asked about the tentative agreement, Turner said that lawmakers want the administration “to work diligently to bring American home — Americans home, whether Iran or Russia or elsewhere, and our hearts certainly go out to them.” 

“But in this instance, the administration is signaling that this is part of a broader deal concerning Iran’s enrichment program, and if that becomes a secret deal, then that’s obviously a great concern to Congress,” Turner said.