John Kerry: Congress Will Not Have the Authority to Change the Iran-U.S. Nuclear Agreement

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on Wednesday, March 11, that despite threats from Republican senators, Congress will not have the authority to change any potential agreement between the U.S. government and Iran. According to Reuters, Kerry, speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee meeting, described the letter sent by 47 Republican senators to Iranian leaders as 'absolutely unbelievable.' He stated, 'The assertion in this letter that Congress can change the terms of any potential agreement is incorrect and erroneous.' During a session reviewing the White House's request for authorization for limited military operations against the 'Islamic government,' Kerry said the letter written by U.S. senators to Iran 'has jeopardized the global trust of America's allies.' He added, 'The message of this letter is that if you want any trust in your relations with the U.S., you must negotiate with 535 members of Congress.' He further remarked, 'Sending such a message is both incorrect and a very inappropriate suggestion.' The 47 Republican senators warned in an open letter to Iranian leaders that any nuclear agreement with the U.S. government would not last beyond Obama's presidency without congressional approval. Kerry, who has a 29-year history in the Senate, added, 'No one is saying you do not have the right to be dissatisfied. However, you can come to the Senate floor and express your dissatisfaction. But this letter calls into question two centuries of foreign policy execution in the U.S.' Congressional Republicans are dissatisfied with the potential nuclear agreement with Iran and have labeled it a 'bad deal' even though no agreement has yet been reached. Negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group are currently underway to achieve a final agreement regarding Tehran's nuclear issue, with Iran and the six world powers expected to reach a political agreement by March 24. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, referred to the letter from U.S. senators as 'legally worthless.' In this context, the White House stated: 'The senators' letter is putting a wrench in the negotiations.' Obama remarked that some members of Congress have allied with Iranian hardliners. The International Atomic Energy Agency has called for expedited cooperation with Iran. Biden stated that the letter from Republican senators carries a very misleading message. The European Union will host negotiations on Iran's nuclear issue next week. Hillary Clinton criticized the letter from Republican senators.