US Senate passes Iran review legislation

The US Senate has overwhelmingly passed legislation which would make it possible for Congress to review and potentially reject a nuclear deal with Iran over its nuclear program.

The legislation approved on a 98-to-1 vote on Thursday will allow for a 30-day review of any final agreement with Iran.

During the reviewing period, President Barack Obama would be able to waive those Iran sanctions, which were imposed by the executive branch. However, the president would have to leave in place sanctions that Congress had previously drafted.

The measure would also force the Obama administration to certify, on a regular basis, that Iran is abiding by the terms of any nuclear deal.

According to the White House, President Obama would sign the legislation into law if it also passes the House, which is likely to approve it next week.

Shortly after the Senate passed the legislation, House Speaker John Boehner issued a statement supporting the bill.

"This important, bipartisan legislation will ensure that Congress has a role in reviewing any potential agreement regarding Iran's nuclear weapons program," Boehner said.

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said that “we’ve worked hard to create a great bipartisan balance. And we have an opportunity to do something that is a landmark piece of legislation.”

“No bill, no review. No bill, no oversight. The American people want [Congress] on their behalf to ensure that Iran is accountable,” Corker added.

Also, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill "offers the best chance for our constituents through the Congress they elect to weigh in on the White House negotiations with Iran."

The only Senator who voted against the bill was Republican Tom Cotton, who is an ardent opponent of talks with Tehran. Cotton wrote a letter to Iran's leaders in March warning any nuclear deal would be unlikely to last beyond Obama's second term in office.

150 Democrats line up behind Iran talks

Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of Democrats in the House of Representatives have lined up behind President Obama over the nuclear negotiations with Iran.

One hundred and fifty members, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), sent a letter to Obama on Thursday, urging him to “exhaust every avenue” in his efforts to reach a final nuclear agreement with Tehran.

The letter is also seen as a warning message to the GOP that Democrats would be able to sustain a presidential veto in case the Republicans vote to disapprove a nuclear deal.

In their letter, the Democrats also warned that a failure of the negotiations would lead to war.

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries -- the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany -- reached a landmark framework agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program on April 2 in Switzerland.

The two sides are set to start drafting a final accord, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is expected to come until the end of June.

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