Reps. Jimmy Panetta, D-CA, left, Zach Nunn, R-IA, right (Getty)
"[Kurilla] has been very clear here that Iran needs to take the offramp from its nuclear enrichment program. In fact, he was one of the ones that highlighted here the real threat coming from a nuclear Iran, both to its neighbor Israel, and other nations across the Middle East. The United States has a very important role to play here in deterrence," he said.
Arab allies like the UAE recognize that Iran presents the greatest "existential threat" to peace in the Middle East, Nunn said, adding that as a veteran of the War on Terror, he doesn’t want to see U.S. service members return to combat in the region.
Forty thousand troops, however, are stationed in non-combat roles in the region, and are in range of Iranian weapons if Tehran escalates.
Nunn warned that the porous southern border has also opened up the likelihood that Iranian proxies are already inside the U.S., and cited reports Tehran was connected in some way to the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania.
He and Panetta, son of former CIA Director Leon Panetta, said the reason they came together in a bipartisan showing to Mideast leaders was that while they may not disagree politically on every issue, Congress is united with Mideast allies.
BILL CLINTON URGES TRUMP TO 'DEFUSE' ISRAEL-IRAN CRISIS
Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike. (AP)
"The purpose of Israel's bombing, at least from what we've heard, was to destroy their nuclear capabilities. It was not for regime change," Panetta said.
"However, if the people see this as an opportunity, then that's something that basically, I think now more than ever, would be the right time for the people of Iran to rise up."
Given the rare bipartisan agreement on the Iran issue in an otherwise fractured political environment, the Democrat added that he will always work with anyone to support both his constituents, and whoever, including Trump, wants to have substantive discussions to solve pressing problems like Iran’s nuclear capabilities, "forever wars," and that Israel retains the right to defend itself.
"[Those] are bipartisan issues that I think we can work together on," Panetta said.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
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