U.S. Representative Ed Royce, (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Photo: U.S. Congress.

U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, refuted U.S. President Barack Obama’s positive spin on the nation’s foreign policy delivered in a much-watched State of the Union address on Tuesday night.

In a statement, Royce said, “Much of the Middle East, North Africa and central Asia is in chaos.  The terrorist threat has evolved and spread.  Saying we are more secure, as the president did, doesn’t make it so.”

On Iran, Royce parsed the president’s statements, pointing out that Republicans are not against talks with the Islamic Republic, but question the removal of tough sanctions which would be difficult to reimpose before Iran shows the world it truly is not seeking a nuclear weapon.

“No one opposes diplomacy with Iran, as the president suggested,” Royce said. “What many in Congress do oppose is the deal he struck that lifts economic sanctions and guarantees that Iran can keep critical and dangerous nuclear technology. That hardly makes us more secure.”

He also questioned the U.S. administration’s moves, or lack thereof, in Asia, where the threat posed by North Korea, a rogue nuclear state, continues.

“The president said his administration is focused on bringing greater security to Asia, yet he didn’t even mention the North Korean nuclear threat, which his administration has ignored,” Royce said.