Congress passes Iran nuclear agreement review bill

OREANDA-NEWS. May 15, 2015. Congress is sending to President Barack Obama for his signature a bill that will grant lawmakers an opportunity to review any nuclear agreement with Iran before the White House can suspend congressionally mandated sanctions.

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives voted 400-25 today to adopt the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which gives lawmakers a minimum of 30 days to consider any deal reached by the US and its P5+1 negotiating partners with Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.

The Republican-led Senate approved the measure 98-1 on 7 May. Obama has said he will sign the measure.

House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce (R-California) said the bill will strengthen the US' hand at the negotiating table. He urged US secretary of state John Kerry to "put its added leverage to use – immediately, so that the US can gain much needed ground in the negotiations over the next two months."

Royce said lawmakers have concerns about where the negotiations are heading. "I fear that the agreement that is coming will be too short, sanctions relief will be too rapid, inspectors will be too restricted, and Iran's missile program will be plain ignored," Royce said.

During the nuclear negotiations, Opec member Iran's exports have been limited to 1mn-1.1mn b/d. Iran produced 2.85mn b/d in April, tied with the UAE as the group's third largest producer. Iranian officials have marked plans to substantially increase exports once the sanctions are lifted.

The nuclear negotiators reached a framework agreement on 2 April that would trade nuclear concessions for sanctions relief. The parties now hope to use that framework to reach a final, comprehensive accord by 30 June.

But a disagreement erupted almost immediately over the timetable for sanctions relief. Obama said any sanctions suspension would be phased in and only after UN nuclear watchdog the IAEA confirms compliance. Iranian president Hassan Rohani has insisted all sanctions must be lifted the day an agreement is signed.

The bill, crafted by Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), would give lawmakers an initial 30 days to examine and debate any nuclear deal and then another 12 days if lawmakers are unhappy with the accord and adopt a resolution of disapproval. If Obama were to veto that bill, Congress would then have an additional 10 days to try to override the veto. Lawmakers would have extra time to review an agreement if Obama does not submit an accord by 10 July.