Politics

CNN To Earnest: Why Does White House Trust Iranian Leader Who Chants ‘Death To America’? [VIDEO]

Alex Griswold Media Reporter
Font Size:

CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta pressed White House press secretary Josh Earnest about why the Obama administration trusted an Iranian Ayatollah who only recently chanted “Death to America.” (VIDEO: CNN’s Jim Acosta To Obama: ‘It Is A Fact That Your Party Rejected You’)

“Over the weekend, Ayatollah Khomeini gave a speech,” Acosta said. “And during that speech, there were people in the crowd chanting ‘Death to America’ and the Ayatollah responded back to them according to various translations, ‘Of course, Death to America.’ Do those comments give this White House any pause about moving forward with a nuclear deal with that country?”

“Those kinds of comments only underscore why it is so critically important that the United States and the international community succeed in preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Earnest responded. “And the best way for us to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapons is sitting down at the negotiating table and getting Iran to make very specific commitments that would prevent them from obtaining nuclear weapons.”

Earnest noted the White House was also not happy with Iran for its support for terror organizations and threats against Israel. “We have a rather long list of concerns with Iran and their behavior. Even if we reach a nuclear agreement, those other lists of concerns won’t go away…” (VIDEO: Krauthammer: Iranian Ayatollahs Chants ‘Death To America,’ But Obama Attacks Israel)

“And you feel like you can negotiate in good faith with a Supreme Leader who is calling for ‘Death to America’?” Acosta pressed.

“Jim, what we have seen is — we have seen the Iranians sit down at the negotiating table and demonstrate a willingness to have constructive conversations,” Earnest insisted.

Follow Alex Griswold on Twitter