Christie says Iran ‘greatest’ source of world’s terrorist activity

Republican Presidential candidate Chris Christie weighed in on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the deal between the United States and Iran, calling Iran the “greatest” source of the world’s terrorism.  

The Biden administration struck a deal with Iran in August, allowing $6 billion in previously frozen assets to return to the country in exchange for the release of five Americans. The citizens were released in mid-September in a trade for five Iranians held in the U.S. The money was set to be given back to Iran, but the assets have not been touched as of yet.

Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, said he thinks the money should be permanently frozen amid Iran’s potential involvement with Hamas in the war against Israel. The Biden administration has said there is no evidence that Iran has aided the militant group.

“Iran is proving, once again, to be the greatest source of funding for terrorist activity in the world, and it was a wrong decision by President Biden to do it in the first place,” Christie said on CNN on Thursday. “It was a wrongheaded decision and I’m glad it’s been reversed.”

Christie said the country needs to stand with Israel in its fight and that it will send a “very clear message to Iran” that invading Israel in a surprise attack Saturday was a mistake.

He said the message to Iran from the U.S. should be that if they continue supporting terrorist activity, Iran is going to pay as well.

“This is something where our country has to unequivocally be behind Israel,” Christie said on air. “One of the things that’s disturbing me greatly is the continued rise of antisemitism, not only here in the United States, but around the world that you’re hearing expressed right now.”

“We’ve got to be saying that antisemitism of any kind is unacceptable in our country and unacceptable for our allies around the world,” he added.