Senator Corker: The New Congress Will Play a Role in Nuclear Negotiations with Iran

Republican Senator Bob Corker, who is likely to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next year, spoke on Wednesday in Washington regarding U.S. foreign policy. In an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America on the sidelines of this meeting, he expressed confidence that the Senate will play a more effective role in U.S. foreign policy next year, including in relation to Iran. Senator Corker also stated, "Congress has a role and responsibility to assist in the negotiations (with Iran), which it must fulfill. We are in continuous contact and dialogue with the government and others to understand and identify the appropriate role of Congress to strengthen our position in the negotiations." The Republican senator further added, "Although the government is reluctant for Congress to have a role in this matter, there are things I believe we can do to strengthen our position, and we will certainly do this in Congress." Republicans have maintained a critical stance since the beginning of the nuclear talks between world powers, especially the United States, and Iran, which resumed last year with the coming to power of Hassan Rouhani's government, expressing doubts about the outcome of these talks. Iran and the six world powers known as the P5+1 are working to reach a comprehensive and final agreement on Iran's nuclear program before July 1 of next year (June 30, 2015). The U.S. and its allies claim that Tehran is seeking to achieve nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful program, an accusation that Iran denies. Following the Republicans' victory in the midterm elections in mid-November and taking control of the Senate, and given that Republican representatives also held a majority in the House of Representatives, some believe that U.S. foreign policy, especially regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, may undergo changes. However, Democratic President Barack Obama commented on the impact of the election results on nuclear talks with Iran, stating, "It is still unclear whether the West will be able to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran or not," adding that if a good agreement can be reached, Congress will also be convinced. Marzieh Afkham, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, announced on Wednesday that Iranian and P5+1 delegations will have a round of negotiations this month (December). The last round of nuclear negotiations ended on November 24 in Vienna. In this context, Abbas Araqchi, a senior member of the Iranian negotiating team, also stated in a conversation with the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister that the conditions for reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement are more favorable than ever.