The other three foreign policy moves the United States should make following the Iran deal, Coons said, are strengthening relations with partners in the Persian Gulf, actively engaging in Syria and strengthening the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) by making some provisions of the agreement standard practice internationally.
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The accord clinched by the US , Britain, China, France, Germany, Russian Federation and Iran on July 14 will provide Iran hundreds of billions of dollars in relief from global sanctions in exchange for a decade of constraints on the country’s nuclear program.
Thursday marks the deadline for lawmakers to pass a resolution disapproving of the Iran deal under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. Republicans this week made last-ditch, but largely symbolic, efforts to try to prevent the deal from going forward even as they admit they can not overturn it but only offer legal challenges to it.
The Senate voted 53 to 45 in favor of McConnell’s amendment, seven votes short of the 60 needed to clear a procedural hurdle.
Kasich’s comments came during a clash with Ted Cruz in the Republican debate, after Cruz said he would rip up the Iran nuclear deal on his first day as president.
“The administration attempted to negotiate this deal with the singular focus of ending Iran’s nuclear program”, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell before the vote, complaining that “myopia” led the White House to ignore the needs of Israel and the prisoners.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats blocked a resolution against Iran agreement for a second time in a week. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, voted with the Republicans. In the last days, McConnell went hardball against Democrats, forcing the chamber to vote on sensitive measures dealing with the US hostages in Iran and recognizing Israel’s sovereignty.
An Arab bid to pressurise Israel over its assumed nuclear arsenal failed on Thursday after Washington and other powers united to reject it at the UN atomic watchdog’s annual gathering.
“This is not legally binding beyond the presidency of Barack Obama“, said Cornyn.
While the House vote does not prevent the deal’s implementation, it does reflect substantial opposition from the Democrats in the House-25 Democratic representatives voted against the deal.
Trump addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose military forces have recently entered Syria, saying that Putin “has absolutely no respect for President Obama“.
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Opponents said the deal leaves Iran a nuclear threshold state, while the Obama administration argued that it was the best means of keeping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Under this deal, if Iran cheats, the world will have seen the limits of diplomacy in dealing with Iran and will be more likely to support strong, unified action against Iran.
