In broad terms, the deal reached between Iran and the U.S., Iran, Russia, China, U.K., France and Germany, curbs Iran’s enrichment capabilities and in exchange lifts nuclear-releated sanctions put in place by the United Nations, Europe and the United States.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry has offered a vigorous defense of the Iran nuclear conclusion as he faced tough questioning at a Senate committee hearing, APA reports quoting Press TV.
According to lawmakers emerging from the briefings, Kerry said the global coalition behind existing economic and military sanctions will collapse no matter what Congress decides, an assessment that touched a Republican sore spot.
The remarks preceded closed-door meetings in the House and the Senate with Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, both of whom were at the bargaining table with Iranians, as well as Treasury Secretary Jack Lew.
Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, Kerry said that if the nuclear deal is implemented and Iran violates it, the U.S. would have more justification to exercise a military option. “This is a question of giving them what they want, this is a question of how do you hold them back”.
And Sen. Marco Rubio objected to the narrowness of the deal, mentioning the urgent need to address Iran’s human rights record.
Israel is testing dirty nuclear bombs in its deserts which could be used in a “false flag” attack in the United States to implicate Iran, a former Central Intelligence Agency and NSA contractor says.
Moniz, seeking to counter criticism that loopholes in global inspection will allow Iran to cheat, told lawmakers: “I am confident that the technical underpinnings of this deal are solid”. Already those 15 are the subject of heavy lobbying by the forces for and against the agreement and will likely face intense pressure in the roughly 60 days before Congress must vote on the deal. “And, by the way, I personally hope that the next person is someone that will remove the national security waiver and re-impose the congressional sanctions that were passed by Congress because this deal is fundamentally and irreparably flawed”.
“With all due respect, you guys have been bamboozled, and the American people are going to pay for that”, he said.
Obama has promised to veto any bill that would prevent the government from lifting sanctions on Iran as part of the negotiated accord.
A good deal, for now?
But Republicans rejected the notion that the only choice before the Senate was to accept the agreement or go to war.
Do you agree with Corker on Iran?
Sen. Bob Corker, the committee chairman, opened the hearing by firing some shots.
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Failure to produce these two side agreements leaves Congress blind on critical information regarding Iran’s potential path to being a nuclear power and will have detrimental consequences for the ability of members to assess the JCPOA.
