USA: Final Agreement with Iran Must Naturally Be Approved by the Security Council

The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed reports about referring a potential nuclear agreement between the six world powers and Iran to the United Nations Security Council, describing it as a normal procedure. According to the Associated Press, Jen Psaki stated on Friday, March 13, that if a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran is reached by the deadline, it will then be referred to the UN Security Council for approval. Ms. Psaki emphasized, however, that this action is unrelated to what the Security Council will do regarding the lifting of sanctions on Iran. These statements confirm recent remarks by Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, in an interview with the weekly "Seda" published in Iran. Mr. Zarif stated that a potential agreement between the 1+5 countries and Iran would be approved in a resolution based on Chapter VII of the UN Charter, thus becoming an international and binding agreement for all states, obligating both current and future governments of Iran and the U.S. to adhere to its provisions. Following this discussion, Reuters reported that world powers are negotiating with each other to issue a resolution from the Security Council regarding a comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran if reached. According to Reuters, this resolution would reduce the likelihood of disruption by the U.S. Congress in the implementation of such an agreement. Recently, 47 Republican senators issued an open letter to Iranian leaders warning that if a potential nuclear agreement with the Obama administration is not approved by the U.S. Congress, it will not last. The letter stated: "The next president can nullify such an agreement with a stroke of a pen, and the next Congress can change the terms of this agreement at any time." However, Barack Obama reacted to this action by the U.S. senators by saying, "I was embarrassed for the senators for sending a letter to Iranian leaders." In this context, the White House stated that the senators' letter is "putting a stick in the wheels" of negotiations. Zarif's response to the letter from the 47 U.S. senators was that it lacks legal value. Biden remarked that the letter from Republican senators carries a very misleading message. The European Union will host nuclear negotiations with Iran next week. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic criticized the letter from the U.S. senators.