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Did Rand Paul Flip-Flop on Iran By Signing Tom Cotton's Letter?

In January, the Kentucky senator said he favored keeping the “diplomatic option” open with Iran.

Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, talks to reporters before walking into the Senate Chamber in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013. — Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, talks to reporters before walking into the Senate Chamber in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013.
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

David Knowles

March 11, 2015, 9:55 AM UTC

Of the 47 Republican politicians who signed a letter this week designed to scuttle the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul stands out.

After all, it was Paul who, at a Jan. 25 forum sponsored by the Koch brothers, took a stand against two of his potential presidential rivals, Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, over whether the Obama administration's diplomacy with Iran should be given a chance before further sanctions are put in place.