Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., spoke Saturday about his concerns of two side deals to the Iran nuclear agreement that have been approved by the United Nations Security Council, but not submitted to Congress.

"My God — the members of Congress are not going to know what the provisions are of a deal between Iran and the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] on one of the most important aspects," McCain said. "And that is the inspections and verification of their compliance with the agreement? I mean that is insanity."

The side deals require Iran to report all work done on its nuclear program to the IAEA and lay out the parameters for how the IAEA will gather information about the Parchin military site, where it is suspected that Iran committed nuclear testing.

Speaking at an event in Colorado held by the Aspen Institute, McCain explained that he doesn't believe the inspection process laid out is adequate and called the Iranians known cheaters. He questioned the rationale of 24-day warning before inspections. "In 24 days, you can cover up a lot of mischief," he said.

The senator dismissed the Obama administration's claim that the only alternative to a deal with Iran would be war.

"The president and his administration ... are very good at setting up straw men," McCain said, and cited the conflict in the Ukraine as an example. President Obama's reluctance to provide the Ukraine defensive weapons to fight Russian-backed separatists because it would start a war with Russia is a similar "straw man," said McCain. "We've only got two choices [Obama says.] It's not true. We have lots of choices."

The United States' sanctions could be "strengthened and enforced" as an alternative to word, suggested McCain.

He criticized the administration's decision to relax sanctions on Iran purchasing conventional weapons. Secretary of State John Kerry argued this week that the deal would only happen if it was limited to nuclear weapons and could not include other issues like Iran's backing of terrorism and instability throughout the Middle East or the four Americans currently held hostage in Iran.