American Republicans Still Demand Vote on Nuclear Deal

Republicans in the U.S. Senate continue to insist on a vote in Congress regarding the final agreement with Iran; however, this potential vote may occur after the current understanding is transformed into a comprehensive and final agreement. Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated on April 5 that the President of the United States needs to 'convince' public opinion regarding the final agreement with Iran, and in this regard, 'Congress must also have a role.' Reuters reports that Senator Corker has not condemned the framework agreed upon in Lausanne between Iran and the world powers. However, he has expressed his 'concerns' regarding discrepancies in narratives related to this agreement and issues related to inspections. He also mentioned that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to review a proposal on April 14 (next week) that aims to require the President to send the final agreement to Congress for review and voting. Earlier, Democratic and Republican senators had agreed to delay the vote on this proposal 'at least until mid-April,' which is April 15, 2015. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, has stated that any potential new sanctions against Iran during the negotiation period would veto the final agreement voting plan. On April 5, the U.S. Senate passed a non-binding amendment to its budget, which stipulates that if Iran violates any of the potential agreement terms with world powers regarding its nuclear program, it would face new sanctions. The proposal to be reviewed by the Foreign Relations Committee does not allow Obama to halt sanctions against Iran during the 60-day period that Congress is reviewing the final agreement. Bob Corker stated on Sunday to Fox News that he has the support of some key Democratic representatives as well. To override the President's veto, a two-thirds majority, or 67 votes in the Senate, is required. However, currently, 'between 64 and 65' support the proposal.