A bipartisan group of 21 House lawmakers Thursday warned in a letter to President Biden Thursday they will likely oppose the impending Iran nuclear deal over concerns about reported measures that would be included in the agreement.
The White House confirmed Thursday it was “close” to an agreement with Iran and five other nations to revive the 2015 accord that was rejected by President Trump, although it cautioned some tough issues remain to be settled. The basic deal would reestablish curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programs in exchange for the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions that the Trump administration re-imposed.
“From what we currently understand, it is hard to envision supporting an agreement along the lines being publicly discussed,” wrote the lawmakers, who included 12 Democrats and nine Republicans.
The lawmakers’ letter expressed concern about reports indicating the potential of lifting the official U.S. terrorist designation for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It also opposed the lifting of sanctions on top aides to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei without appropriately “acknowledging Iran’s role as the world’s leading state-sponsor of terror — which was noticeably absent” from the original deal as well.
The members argued that, in offering sanctions relief, the administration would be providing a “clear path for Iranian proxies to continue fueling terrorism.”
Russia’s role as one of the six countries negotiating with Iran has complicated the final negotiations following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Vienna talks are still proceeding despite the tensions with Russia.
It is in “Russia‘s interest, irrespective of anything else, for Iran not to be able to have a nuclear weapon or to have the capacity to produce a weapon on very, very short order,” Mr. Blinken said this week.
The letter was spearheaded by Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Elaine Luria of Virginia and Republican Rep. Tom Reed of New York.
“As made clear by our letter, many Democrats and Republicans are united in preventing a nuclear Iran and addressing the Iranian regime’s wide range of illicit behaviors,” Rep. David P. Joyce of Ohio, one of the Republican signatories, said in a statement to The Washington Times. “Unfortunately, the failed JCPOA has allowed Iran’s military budget to grow and did nothing to prevent the Iranian regime from developing and test-firing ballistic missiles in the deal’s aftermath.”
“We must ensure the security of the American people, and that of our allies such as Israel, which makes Iran’s termination of its nuclear development, ballistic missile program, and funding of terrorism all non-negotiable,” he added.
Other co-signers are Democratic Reps. Jim Costa, Juan Vargas and Darren Soto of California, Haley Stevens of Michigan, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Donald Norcross of New Jersey, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Thomas R. Suozzi of New York, Susie Lee of Nevada, Jared Golden of Maine, Republican Reps. Peter Meijer and Fred Upton of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick and Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania, Anthony Gonzalez of Texas, Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington and Don Bacon of Nebraska.
The Times reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back. The 2015 agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, has always been a tough sell in Congress, and the Obama administration was forced to veto a congressional resolution of disapproval of the deal.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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