A group of 46 Republican senators sent a letter to Iran’s leaders on Monday warning that they expect to have a role in any deal to limit that country’s nuclear ambitions.
The letter also is a pointed reminder to President Obama that any nuclear deal he signs may not outlast his presidency if lawmakers don’t approve of its provisions.
“We will consider any agreement regarding your nuclear-weapons program that is not approved by the Congress as nothing more than an executive agreement between President Obama and Ayatollah (Ali) Khamenei. 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,” said the letter circulated by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., an opponent of any deal with Iran.
Among those who signed the letter are Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over any new sanctions legislation.
Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chief sponsor of legislation that would require congressional approval of any deal, did not sign the letter.
Congressional mistrust in the president’s negotiating strategy is a potential obstacle in the talks, which resume Sunday in Geneva between Iran and the “P5+1” group — the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. They are racing to meet a self-imposed March 24 deadline for a political framework of a final deal.
The administration insists that Congress should have no role in negotiating a deal and need not approve one once signed, though the sanctions relief Iran demands as a condition of any agreement would require changes to U.S. laws.
But both Democratic and Republican lawmakers support the legislation to require congressional approval of any deal, and also tough new sanctions that would kick in if the July 1 deadline for a final deal is not met.
