The Biden administration and some Republicans in Congress are at odds over the Iran nuclear deal negotiations following an alleged Iranian intelligence plot to kidnap an American journalist in New York. 

Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said President Joe Biden should not make any deals with Iran given its actions.

“This is a regime that holds American hostages and is actively trying to kidnap an American from the streets of New York,” said McCaul in a statement Tuesday, also referencing US citizens incarcerated in Iran. “President Biden should not enter into any deals with Iran without an end to these assaults on our citizens.”

On Tuesday, the US Department of Justice issued charges against four Iranian citizens in relation to an alleged plan to kidnap an American journalist who reports critically on the Iranian government. One of the men is an Iranian intelligence official, and the other three “Iranian intelligence assets.” The plan consisted of kidnapping the journalist in New York City and then transferring her by boat to Venezuela, with the ultimate goal of bringing her to Iran to stand trial, according to a department press release.