fbpx

News

Kerry warns Congress over Iran deal as ambiguities persist over verification

[ssba]

US Secretary of State John Kerry testified before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday and intensified his warnings over the consequences of rejecting the nuclear deal recently agreed with Iran.

The agreement which was concluded earlier this month between Iran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany), will likely see international sanctions lifted in return for a slowdown in Iranian nuclear development over the next decade. However, Congress now has until 17 September to assess and vote on the nuclear accord, but would need a two thirds majority to override a presidential veto.

Yesterday’s hearing follows a tense exchange last week with Republicans hostile to the agreement, during a similar Senate hearing. Kerry was joined yesterday by Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, who all answered questions on the accord. During the four-hour session, Kerry contended that, “If Congress rejects this, Iran goes back to its enrichment. The Ayatollah will not come back to the table … the sanctions regime completely falls apart.” He added, “If we walk away, we walk away alone. Our partners are not going to be with us.” Kerry also argued that rejection of the accord will harm America’s future negotiating capability.

However, among the critics, Republican Lee Zeldin said, “There is another alternative other than war; it’s a better deal …  America got played like a five string quartet.” Michigan Republican David Trott argued, “You can’t do a good deal with a bad guy,” such as Iran which supports numerous terror groups.

Meanwhile, AP reports that there is continuing confusion over some aspects of the deal’s enforcement. It says that Iran has requested that it provide international inspectors with soil samples from the controversial Parchin facility, where experiments over ways to detonate a nuclear weapon are thought to have taken place. AP says that the International Atomic Energy Agency may agree to the arrangement, so long as it can monitor the process.