What 6 Presidential Candidates Will Say About Iran

Successfully negotiating a deal with Iran is a major check on Obama's to-do list — but how do the 2016 candidates feel about the big Iran deal? The deal, which was struck earlier this week, still needs to be approved by Congress and is sure to provide lots of argument and debate in the coming weeks. But the bigger question is how will the deal affect the platform of 2016 hopefuls? The first debate for Republican candidates is coming up in August, and before you know it we'll be seeing the top two candidates showing down for the ultimate prize.

The responses to the deal are pretty predictable — the GOP candidates unilaterally oppose the plan, whereas the Democratic candidates (with the exception of Jim Webb) are singing the praises of diplomacy. But a question about the deal is sure to pop up in the debates, and candidates are going to be expected to provide more detailed information about their stances, as well as how they would handle a similar situation going forward. The outcome of the deal will shape the U.S.'s relationship with Iran for the next 10 to 15 years, something that the future president will surely need to think about.

So how will the candidates respond to a question about the Iran deal? Based on their initial reactions to the news, here's are our predictions.

Hillary Clinton Will Remind Us That She Used To Be Secretary Of State

Clinton will take the opportunity to remind America that she used to be the Secretary of State. Had Kerry not replaced her, she would have been the one hammering out the deal. The debate will serve as a perfect chance to stress her opinions about diplomacy, while also playing up her extensive foreign relations experience.

Donald Trump Will Vow To Kick Iran's Ass...

... and send them back to the dark ages. Or something catchy and offensive like that. Trump will definitely stress his belief that the Iranian deal is too lenient, and grab an opportunity to put down Obama and Kerry for securing the deal. He'll then talk over every other candidate as he forcefully promises to shut down negotiations with the Middle East.

Bernie Sanders Will Want Us To Give Peace A Chance

Sanders said that he thinks the deal might put an end to "saber-rattling," so it's highly probable that he will use the debates as an opportunity to talk about his anti-war stance. Most likely he'll find a way to take a jab at Clinton for voting for the Iraq war, then cite a lot of numbers about nuclear treaties that no one will understand.

Jeb Bush Will Sigh Really Loudly For Five Minutes

But what about the future?!? Bush is concerned about the long-term effects of the plan, and is already trying to figure out what to do in 15 years when some of the restrictions agreed on are lifted. The term "short-sighted" will probably be used five separate times. There may even be some sad, dejected head shakes.

Jim Webb Will Make Us Wonder If He's A Democrat

Something about the Iran deal smells fishy to Jim Webb, and he's not afraid to say it. Though not an advocate of military force, Webb stated that he's worried the deal may be too lenient. It's possible that Webb could use the debate as a platform for advocating more intensive negotiations in the future.

Mike Huckabee Will Go On A Rant That Puts Trump To Shame

If you thought his Twitter rants were something, wait until you get him live. There will be a lot of fist shaking, not-so-subtle references to military force, and several mentions of Iran's "terrorist regime." Even Trump might feel awkward about the overzealous answer.

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