Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu (R) meets with Senator Cruz in 2012 at his office in Jerusalem. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
Leading US senators warned Iran in an open letter that a dangerous nuclear deal would become null and void as soon as President Obama completes his term.
A group of 47 Republican senators co-signed and sent an open letter to the Iranian regime clarifying that any deal signed by the Obama administration regarding Iran’s nuclear program will be worthless as soon as President Barack Obama leaves the Oval Office, Bloomberg reports.
The letter was drafted by Senator Tom Cotton and signed by the Senate’s entire Republican leadership as well as by potential 2016 presidential contenders Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul.
The purpose of the letter was not only to discourage the Iranian regime from signing a deal, but also to pressure the White House into giving Congress a certain level of authority over the process, the Bloomberg article explains.
Congress had begun drafting a bill that would require a congressional review of any deal that the Obama administration, together with the other negotiating powers, would strike with Iran regarding its nuclear program.
However, Obama has threatened to veto any such legislation, and Congress is looking for ways to ensure oversight.
“It has come to our attention while observing your nuclear negotiations with our government that you may not fully understand our constitutional system … Anything not approved by Congress is a mere executive agreement,” the senators’ letter reads. “The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time.”
“Iran’s ayatollahs need to know before agreeing to any nuclear deal that…any unilateral executive agreement is one they accept at their own peril,” Cotton told Bloomberg.
Dissent Among the P5+1?
Reports from the talks between the US and Iran, led by Secretary of State John Kerry, indicate that the two sides are making progress and closing the gaps.
However, other members of the P5+1 powers negotiating with Iran as a group are reportedly displeased with the progress of the talks.
French diplomats noted on Sunday morning the possibility that President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will refuse to sign a nuclear deal with Tehran if certain details are not changed, such as the number of centrifuges that Iran could keep in its possession.
Fabius told reporters over the weekend that he was not satisfied with the concessions made by Iran so far.
By: Aryeh Savir
Staff Writer, United with Israel
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