McConnell: Congressional Approval of Nuclear Deal Will Be a Tough Goal for Obama

The Republican majority leader in the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, stated on Sunday, July 21, that if the negotiating parties reach a comprehensive final agreement in Vienna with Iran, obtaining congressional approval will be a "very tough goal" for the U.S. President. In an interview with Fox News, McConnell said, "If [the agreement] is reached, it will be a tough goal in Congress." He added, "We already know that this (agreement) puts Iran on the brink of becoming nuclear." The Congress, which is predominantly Republican, can play a significant role in approving the final agreement. Many senior Republican representatives have firmly expressed their opposition to the ongoing nuclear negotiations. Both chambers of Congress will review and scrutinize any agreement reached with Tehran, a process that could take up to 60 days. Representatives can oppose it, although President Barack Obama can also exercise his veto power to reject the opposing vote. In that case, Congress can attempt again to achieve a two-thirds majority to override Obama's veto power. If such a thing is possible, which may not be easy, representatives can prevent the lifting of sanctions. According to Reuters, Robert Menendez, a senior representative on foreign policy among Democrats, has also expressed concern about the prospects following the nuclear agreement. Menendez, a member of Obama's party and one of the architects of sanctions against Iran, has reiterated his opposition to the final agreement. Another U.S. Congress member, Lindsey Graham, a Republican candidate for next year's presidential election, has also shown his opposition to the final agreement. Graham described the negotiations with Iran as the greatest existing threat to global order. Similar opposition has been expressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has emphasized these concerns in recent hours. On Sunday, John Boehner, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, stated in an interview with CBS, "Not reaching an agreement is better than a bad agreement." He expressed admiration if Obama leaves the negotiation table. The nuclear negotiations have entered the final deadline, which the parties have extended several times. Speculations increasingly suggest the possibility of announcing a final agreement on Monday.