US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman introduced a bipartisan resolution reaffirming the US commitment to preventing a nuclear Iran.
Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) along with Congressmen Brad Schneider (D-IL), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Jared Golden (D-ME), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rich McCormick (R-GA), and Kathy Manning (D-NC) introduced the resolution on Tuesday, June 27.
A flurry of media reports in recent weeks indicated that the Biden administration has been holding indirect and possibly direct talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran to hammer out an interim, limited nuclear deal that would offer financial rewards in exchange for some limits on Iran’s uranium enrichment.
Many members of Congress are concerned that the administration intends to reach an unwritten agreement with Tehran to avoid Congressional review. A 2015 law requires any deal with Iran that would result in sanctions reduction to be presented to Congress.
“In the face of unprecedented nuclear provocations from the Iranian regime, it is vital the United States make clear that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable,” said McCaul in an announcement about the bipartisan resolution.
“I am proud to lead this bipartisan resolution declaring with no ambiguity that Iran must not be able to obtain a nuclear weapon, and that the United States is willing to use all means necessary to prevent a nuclear Iran. Nothing is off the table.”
The resolution also says that the US should “recognize and support the freedom of action of partners and allies, including Israel to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
Past and present Israeli governments have repeatedly threatened to launch a military attack against Iran if they see the imminent danger of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his government will not recognize any international agreements, if it concludes that Israel faces the danger of a nuclear Iran.
A bipartisan group of 26 US senators last week asked President Joe Biden in a letter not to rush into a bad agreement.
Rep. McCaul had sent a letter to the President June 15 saying, “I am disturbed by recent revelations that the Administration has re-engaged in ‘proximity talks’ with the Iranian regime, and that the results of these discussions have included the apparent greenlighting of sizable payments to Iran.”
He was referring to the White House allowing Iraq to release more than $2.7 billion in Iran’s frozen funds earlier this month.
McCaul urged Biden to respect the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA), which was enacted during the finalization of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 to allow Congress to oversee dealings with Tehran. The Obama administration decided not to make the JCPOA nuclear deal a treaty, given opposition in Congress at the time and agreed to INARA to neutralize opposition among lawmakers.
The administration has denied it has reached any new deals with Iran, including an interim unwritten agreement, but many media sources and Israeli politicians have indicated that some sort of an agreement has been discussed.