(UnitedVoice.com) – President Joe Biden made it very clear when he took office that he wanted to commit the US to another Iran nuclear deal. Former President Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president, negotiated the original deal with the adversarial nation during his administration. However, when they left office, 45th President Donald Trump pulled America out of the treaty and took a hardline approach with the Middle Eastern nation.
After more than two years of negotiations, it appears the Biden Administration is nearing a deal with Iran. However, not everyone is on board with the plan.
New Deal?
In mid-June, The New York Times reported that the Biden administration has quietly continued its negotiations with Iran. The administration hopes to free imprisoned Americans and limit the nation’s nuclear program. Some Iranians are reportedly calling the deal a “political cease-fire.”
Though the broad outlines of the possible deal have been confirmed, the US government isn’t giving away any other information. Israeli officials believe the deal is “imminent,” and sources have said Iran would have to agree to stop uranium enrichment beyond its current level of 60% purity. In order to create a nuclear weapon, the uranium would have to reach 90% enrichment.
The Middle Eastern nation would also have to agree to stop attacks on American contractors in Iraq and Syria, halt the sales of ballistic weapons to Russia, and allow international nuclear inspectors into the country to verify it is complying with the deal.
There are allegations that the Biden Administration is sending money to Iran. However, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, said that isn’t true. He said the US gave Iraq permission to release funds for “humanitarian and other non-sanctionable transactions.”
Opposition
While the Biden Administration would certainly celebrate a deal as a hard-fought victory, not everyone believes that’s the case. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, sent a letter to Biden on June 16, saying he was “deeply disturbed” by the reports that the administration is still negotiating with Iran. The congressman claimed he’d heard the negotiations included “greenlighting” payments to the country.
McCaul questioned whether the president intended to follow the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 and submit any agreement to Congress for approval.
Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called Iran an “adversary” and pointed out that the country is a “state sponsor of terrorism.” She told her Twitter followers that if the president reaches a “back-door agreement,” then it would be “an attempt to skirt congressional oversight.”
More appeasement foreign policy from the White House.
Iran is an adversary and a state sponsor of terrorism.
Any back-door agreement here is an attempt to skirt congressional oversight. Striking a deal with Tehran will only put our country and our partners in greater danger. https://t.co/42qLha4dhc
— Senator Deb Fischer (@SenatorFischer) June 15, 2023
Whether Biden intends to bring lawmakers in on the alleged deal remains to be seen.
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