Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the recently negotiated accord with Iran is the only chance to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and that failure to enact the agreement would isolate the United States internationally.
Advertisement
During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Thursday, Rubio faulted President Barack Obama “for striking a bad deal with Iran“, saying the next president would have no obligation to uphold the agreement.
He said it may not be flawless, but it’s the best deal for the United States and Iran for the next several years.
“Let me underscore, the alternative to the deal that we have reached is not what I’ve seen some ads on TV suggesting disingenuously”.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz – who testified in front of the senate committee – also defended the deal.
Multiple Republican lawmakers complained anew that the State Department did not submit all the aspects of the Iran deal to Congress. One sore point in particular: missing documents detailing the so-called “side deals” between Iran and the global Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
“I think people feel like there won’t suddenly be any sort of big windfall going to supporting terrorist organizations”, said Schakowsky.
Some restrictions will be placed on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the removal of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian regime and the world should know that the majority of members of this Congress do not support this deal and that the deal could go away on the day President Obama leaves office.
Recognition of Iran’s nuclear rights in addition to the removal of “oppressive and wanton” sanctions imposed upon Iran were added achievements by Iran in the nuclear talks, he said.
“I know you said you brought up the American hostages in every negotiation, and I think we all thank you for that, but for the families of Americans who are missing and detained in Iran…this deal has brought no new information regarding their loved ones’ whereabouts”.
“I want to reframe and say that we have been fleeced and not make that anything that’s directed at an individual”, he said. Kerry had no answer, but claimed the U.S. fought hard for the (meaningless) eight-year extension. However, Resolution 2231 is not contingent on Congress’s approval and the administration will not ask for a Security Council re-vote if Congress rejects the deal-nor could it, because others wield a veto.
“The fact is that Iran now has extensive experience with nuclear fuel cycle technology”, Kerry told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“If this deal is rejected, we return immediately to this reality, except that the diplomatic support that we have built with all these other countries, that we have accumulated, would disappear overnight”, he said.
Advertisement
Under the terms of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act passed in May, Congress has 60 days to review the agreement before voting to approve, disapprove or do nothing about it (about half of the 60-day period will overlap with the month-long August recess).
