Tehran, Iran, Aug. 26
By Temkin Jafarov -- Trend:
Iran doesn't have any concern about the rejection of the nuclear deal in the U.S. Congress. "Iran and P5+1 have achieved a nuclear deal based on political will and this deal is an opportunityIran and p5+1 have achieved a nuclear deal based on political will and this deal is an opportunity... for international community, but we don't have worry about the possibility of rejection of the nuclear deal by Congress," the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham respond Trend's question during a press conference on August 26.
Iran and P5+1 (the US, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany) reached a nuclear agreement on July 14, which will pave the way for lifting sanctions on Iran, including those imposed on banking system. It's expected the sanctions would be eliminated after ratifying the agreement in the Iran parliament and the U.S. Congress, as well as after verification of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Although the majority of Democrats and the Obama administration favor the deal, Republicans who dominate both the Senate and the House of Representatives are strongly against it.
Afkham said the nuclear deal has been welcomed by many states including the countries involved in the nuclear negotiation. "Some people may consider the nuclear deal as a threat to their interests, but Iran doesn't mind their political and partisan goals," Afkham said.
Sen. Robert Menendez, a prominent Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced earlier that he would vote against the Obama administration's nuclear agreement with Iran. Before Menendez, Sen. Charles E. Schumer announced his opposition to the deal.
The US administration seeks the support of enough Democrats to prevent Congress from overriding Obama's planned veto of any resolution that would sink the agreement.
So far, 23 of the 34 senators needed in the Senate to block an override of an Obama veto have announced their support for the deal, in which Iran accepts restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
Also last week, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who had been heavily lobbied by the White House, announced he would oppose the deal, and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said August 17 he also would oppose it, leaving the administration unlikely to attract bipartisan support.
Under the deal, Obama will be able to lift sanctions that he and previous presidents imposed on Iran. But the remaining sanctions, imposed by Congress, will have to wait until the review process is finished on Capitol Hill.
Edited by CN