U.S. lawmakers divided over potential Iran deal

U.S. lawmakers appeared on Sunday morning talk shows sharply divided over a potential agreement to end the conflict with Iran, with Republicans largely supporting the publicly reported outlines of a deal being negotiated by President Donald Trump and Democrats dismissing it as insufficient.

Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the reported outlines of a deal sounded like little more than the prewar status quo with Iran. He called the situation a blunder, adding that when you are digging a hole, you should stop digging, and that sounds like maybe what we are doing finally.

Representative Mike Lawler, a New York Republican who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, praised Trump’s approach to talks with Iran. He said the administration has been able for the first time in 47 years to force the remnants of this regime into a real negotiation.

Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said Trump was being played as a fool in negotiations. He argued that the administration has put the United States in a situation worse than before, with a more extreme regime, and noted that the Strait of Hormuz is now a...