Biden: There is nothing in the Iran nuclear deal that rules out military options

Joe Biden, the U.S. Vice President, addressed members of the Democratic Congress on Wednesday, July 15, stating that there is nothing in the nuclear agreement with Iran that eliminates military options against Tehran. According to Reuters, "Steve Israel," a member of Congress, reported that Biden made this statement during a congressional session. Biden also emphasized that if the United States halted its move towards a final nuclear agreement with Iran, "all sanctions programs would collapse." Tehran and six world powers reached a comprehensive nuclear agreement on July 14 after months of negotiations, but Israel, a U.S. ally, and many members of the U.S. Congress refer to this agreement as a "bad deal." In this context, to persuade various groups of the "benefits" of this agreement, Barack Obama, the U.S. President, spent most of Tuesday contacting leaders in Europe and the Middle East. He also defended his approach to Iran's nuclear program in an interview with the New York Times, stating: "Part of our goal was to show that diplomacy works." Obama added, "Diplomacy is not flawless and does not achieve everything we want, but it can shape events in a way that increases the likelihood of resolving issues rather than decreasing it, and this is an opportunity that we have now." According to the Associated Press, Obama also intends to address issues related to the nuclear agreement again on Wednesday at a press conference. As part of these efforts, he sent his Vice President, Joe Biden, to Congress to meet with Democrats in the House of Representatives. Biden told reporters before entering a closed-door meeting in the House on Wednesday, "I have come to answer questions and explain what the content of the agreement is, and I am sure that when everyone knows its provisions, they will be pleased with this agreement." The U.S. Congress, which is predominantly Republican, has not welcomed the final agreement with Iran so far; Obama warned Congress that he would veto any resolution against this agreement in his first reaction after the agreement with Iran was reached. Tom Cotton: This agreement is scarier than we thought. Tom Cotton, a Republican senator from Arkansas, who had previously told Iranian leaders in a letter that the next U.S. president could easily disregard the agreement, told CNN: "This agreement is much scarier than we thought because it still allows Iran to have nuclear facilities." Cotton said, "This is a huge gamble that bets on Iran's behavior over the next ten years and hopes they will change their behavior. Even in the text of the agreement, it is stated that the West will assist Iran in maintaining its nuclear facilities against any sabotage." Cotton's reference pertains to a clause in the nuclear agreement with Iran that explicitly states: "Nuclear inspectors ensure that they have no role in creating sabotage in Iran's nuclear facilities." Cotton stated, "The American people have rejected this agreement, and Congress will reject it too." He added, "The U.S. must strengthen the threat of military action (against Iran) and, if necessary, restore sanctions (against Iran)." Lindsey Graham: This agreement is very bad. Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina and a presidential candidate, also called this agreement a bad deal. Graham, appearing on an NBC program, said, "Anyone (instead of the American negotiating team) would have done better than this." Iran must know that it has everything it needs to become a major power in the region. It does not need to have a nuclear bomb, or seek anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish sentiments, or instigate proxy wars in the region, or merely pursue Sunni hostility. Barack Obama. He added, "It is an illusion to think that those who shout 'death to Israel' are 'just joking,' and worse, we want to give them (the Iranian government) more weapons while they are supporting terrorism in the region." Madeleine Albright: This agreement will bring stability to the region. Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, supported the text of the nuclear agreement with Iran and called it an effective factor for establishing stability in the region. She acknowledged that there are parts of this agreement that have even worried Democratic representatives but added, "This agreement is not designed based on trust in Iran." She stated, "The government (of the U.S.) must carefully consider this agreement." Albright also deemed a thorough review of this agreement in Congress justified. Barack Obama: We chose the best possible path. Barack Obama, the U.S. President, in an interview with Thomas Friedman, a columnist for the New York Times, which was solely dedicated to the topic of the nuclear agreement with Iran and took place on Tuesday evening, said: "Nothing is 100% and perfect, but the path we took was the most practical one." In response to the question of why the Iranians should be satisfied with this agreement, he said: "Iran must know that it has everything it needs to become a major power in the region. It does not need to have a nuclear bomb, or seek anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish sentiments, or instigate proxy wars in the region, or merely pursue Sunni hostility." The U.S. President added, "I hope Iran understands that with the resources and people it has, and without any need for such policies, it can become a responsible player in the region." In response to the question of the Israeli people and why they should view this agreement positively, he said: "I say all their concerns are understandable, but I add that apart from the path we took and the framework we outlined, there is no formula or solution that can limit Iran's access to a nuclear bomb."