The White House denied Tuesday that its sales pitch for a nuclear deal with Iran is failing because a key Democratic senator is now backing an Iran measure the administration opposes.
“The sales pitch has just begun,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters. “We want to make sure that members of Congress understand what’s in the deal.”
To provide more clarity on the prospective deal with Iran, Earnest said the administration has offered congressional national security committees a classified briefing from Assistant Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, a key negotiator engaged in the talks with Iran and the other international powers.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., this week announced that he is backing legislation introduced by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., that would give Congress to ability to disapprove of the deal and stop its implementation if and when it’s finalized in the coming months.
“This is a very serious issue that deserves careful consideration, and I expect to have a classified briefing in the near future. I strongly believe Congress should have the right to disapprove any agreement and I support the Corker bill which would allow that to occur,” Schumer told Politico Monday.
Schumer, a high-profile Jewish member of Congress, could swing a number of Democratic members to his view. He is set to assume the top Democratic leadership position in the Senate once Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, retires at the end of next year.
Senate vote counters say Schumer’s support puts Republicans on a path to gather a veto-proof majority to advance Corker’s measure.
The White House has continued to insist that the Corker bill, which would give Congress the ability to wrest control back over the deal and suspend any sanctions relief against Iran, would disrupt progress on the talks and create distrust in Iran and among America’s international partners that the U.S. will abide by the deal.
In addition, Earnest said the White House also opposes a provision in the Corker bill that makes any agreement contingent on Iran’s renouncing terrorism.
“That is an unrealistic suggestion,” Earnest said. “… [This deal] is not going to succeed in resolving a long list of concerns that we have about Iran’s role in the region.”
He mentioned Iran’s threats to Israel and other nations, which the U.S. roundly condemns.
But he said that the deal is focused solely on the nuclear issue and is not aimed at resolving all the problems the U.S. and the other international powers involved have with Tehran.
