Contact: Caroline Rabbitt (202) 224-2353

Washington, D.C.-Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement on the Obama administration's invitation to Iran to participate in Syria talks:

"The Obama administration's invitation to Iran to participate in Syria talks is the wrong course of action and sends exactly the wrong message to the Syrian opposition and U.S. allies in the region. It is a further sign that the president is abandoning his call for Assad to step aside. And it shows that instead of isolating Iran and pushing back on the ayatollahs' push for regional hegemony, the president is elevating Iran's prestige and influence. That is dangerous for U.S. interests and a threat to world stability."