McCain Criticizes Obama for Iran, FISA Votes

SOUTH PARK, PA – John McCain used the news today of Iran's missile tests to criticize Barack Obama for not declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group.

"This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate," McCain told reporters at the CONSOL Energy facility outside of Pittsburgh. "Sen. Obama refused to vote. He called it provocative, a provocative step. The fact is, this is a terrorist organization, and it should have been branded as such."

McCain said he believed European allies "are ready to impose significant, impactful and meaningful sanctions on the Iranians" and that the sanctions could modify Iranian behavior. He also criticized the U.N. Security Council for not issuing its own sanctions, because of what he labeled Chinese and Russian resistance.

He also disputed Obama's claims that the tests signaled a failure of diplomacy.

"We have lots of communications with the Iranians and they are many," he said. "The time has now come for effective sanctions on Iran, which will then I believe can have a modifying effect on their very aggressive behavior, not only rhetorically, but in their pursuit of nuclear weapons, as well as this missile test. So lines of communication are fine. Action is what's necessary."

McCain also criticized Obama for going to Washington to support the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act, which he had previously opposed and McCain supports.

"Sen. Obama was unalterably opposed to the allowing immunity, providing immunity to those telecommunications corporations that at the request of the federal government cooperated in helping us try to monitor and intercept communications of terrorist organizations," he said. "My understanding is that he is still opposed to providing that immunity."

"He was opposed to FISA in the past...and now he is supporting it," he continued. "Not the first change in position."

McCain was in Pittsburgh to promote clean coal technology, meeting with CEOs and touring a silo at CONSOL. He seemed fascinated by the potential, telling the executives he would like to meet with them again and apologizing for only having 30 minutes to talk.

(NBC/NJ's MATTHEW BERGER)

Obama's statement about Iran's missile test available after the jump.

Barack Obama today, per his campaign:

“These missile tests demonstrate once again that we need to change our policy to deal aggressively with the threat posed by the Iranian regime. Through its nuclear program, missile capability, meddling in Iraq, support for terrorism, and threats against Israel, Iran now poses the greatest strategic challenge to the United States in the region in a generation. Now is the time to work with our friends and allies, and to pursue direct and aggressive diplomacy with the Iranian regime backed by tougher unilateral and multilateral sanctions. It's time to offer the Iranians a clear choice between increased costs for continuing their troubling behavior, and concrete incentives that would come if they change course.

“As these tests have reaffirmed, the threat from Iran's nuclear program is real and it is grave. As President, I will do everything in my power to eliminate that threat, and that must begin with direct, aggressive, and sustained diplomacy."