GOP snators: Iran must be punished

A group of Senate Republicans lashed out against President Obama accusing him of failing to respond to Iran’s ballistic missile tests, the Hill reported on Jan. 4th, 2016. 
'A continued failure of the administration to impose consequences on Tehran for its ballistic missile tests... will confirm the dangerous perception of the regime in Iran that it can ignore its obligations with impunity and the Obama administration will do nothing,' Republican Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Mark Kirk (Ill.) said on Monday.  
Obama is under pressure from both parties to take a firm line in response to Tehran’s two ballistic missile tests late last year.  
The Republican senators said the administration should roll out a 'strong set of sanctions' and refrain from lifting sanctions against Iran under a separate nuclear agreement until Iran ends any military dimensions to the program. 
While the administration, and key Democrats, have argued that the missile tests are separate from the nuclear agreement, Republicans argue that the two are inextricably linked because the missiles could potentially carry a nuclear warhead.  
Ayotte introduced legislation last month that would block the Obama administration from lifting sanctions, which could threaten the nuclear pact.