Iran does not respond to anything but pressure of one sort or another, and it's important that the United States continues to work to deter the country's actions, Rep. Andy Barr said Thursday.
"We obviously need to work with our European counterparts to put pressure on them," the Kentucky Republican told Fox Business' "Mornings With Maria." "This regime does not respond to anything other than pressure, whether it's economic pressure or military deterrence."
Barr said the downing of a U.S. drone over international waters early Thursday shows once again that Iran is a "belligerent nation" and proves the Iran nuclear deal was "so wrong-headed."
"Iran continues to take malign activities in the region," said Barr. "We saw this during the Iran nuclear deal and despite the promises that the regime made in Tehran, they continue to develop ballistic missiles, continue to export terrorist support."
The activity is continuing with attacks on oil tankers and the drone, and the United States should continue to ramp up the pressure with economic sanctions to put pressure on the regime," said Barr.
It is "vitally important" to deter Iran's behavior, said Barr, as the United States has an important role to play in the region.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.