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Al-Monitor – House Republicans are warning the Biden administration against forging a renewed nuclear agreement with Iran, warning that a deal struck without congressional approval “will meet the same fate” as its Obama-era predecessor.
“We urge you to change course, learn from the first JCPOA’s failures, and work with Congress to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime,” wrote more than 160 Republican lawmakers, using the acronym for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
In a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday first reported by Axios, the lawmakers also said they will consider non-binding any deal that isn’t submitted for Senate ratification as a treaty. They also pledged to oppose any agreement that withdraws sanctions without full verification that Iran has halted its nuclear activities and dismantled its enrichment infrastructure.
Citing the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA), the letter demands that any agreement be submitted for review of potential “dangers and flaws.”
The law requires congressional review of “any agreement related to the nuclear program with Iran.” There’s some question, however, over whether a return to the JCPOA without modifications would trigger one.
Why it matters: With negotiations in Vienna moving into their final phase, Republican pressure is mounting against the deal. Wednesday’s letter follows a similar effort by 33 GOP senators who they would use their “full range of options and leverage available” to block implementation if Biden dismisses their oversight role.
The Biden administration has declined to say whether it would submit the text of a renewed JCPOA for lawmakers’ approval, but says it is “committed to ensuring the requirements of INARA are satisfied.”
What’s next: One of the main sticking points between Iran and the United States is Tehran’s demand for a guarantee that future US administrations won’t abandon the deal.
In an interview with the Financial Times this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian suggested that Congress at least make a “political statement” demonstrating its commitment to the battered deal. Such a statement would a non-starter for most Republicans.
Know more: For more on congressional opposition to the deal and lawmakers’ ability to thwart it, check out The Takeaway.
