Democrat Menendez to announce position on Iran nuclear deal

Elkin, who is one of the politicians closest to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said he was disappointed that the rabbis have not joined efforts to persuade Congress to reject the deal next month when it will vote on the controversial agreement. Maybe Iran will desist from its nuclear ambitions.

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., says he will vote against the nuclear deal the U.S. and its allies reached with Iran over that nation’s nuclear programs.

Menendez noted that unlike the administration’s chief backers of the deal, Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden, he voted against the war in Iraq, which was an unpopular position at the time.

Speaking to the Scott County Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky Republican cautioned that Democrats could sustain a veto of a Republican resolution that disapproves of the Iran deal this September.

His support packs a little extra potential punch too, coming just a day after a trio of Senate Democrats – Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii – also spoke out in favor of the deal, though their support was expected.

Menendez was asked later about President Obama’s rhetoric suggesting those who oppose the deal are actually making common cause with the Iranian hard liners chanting death to America.

“The money that would flow into Iran following the nuclear agreement would be used to strengthen terrorist organisations operating against us under Iran’s sponsorship, with the declared goal of destroying Israel”, Xinhua quoted Netanyahu.

The FDD is a Washington think tank promoting U.S. military intervention in the Middle East, a hawkish stance against Iran, and the defense of right-wing Israeli policy.

Had he supported the deal, Flake likely would’ve been the lone Republican to do so. Charles E. Schumer of New York announced his opposition earlier this month.

The speech by Menendez, a strong backer of Israel, at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, contained a detailed, technical analysis of the agreement. He and six other Jewish members of Congress oppose the deal, nine support it and 12 are undecided, according to JTA.

“My overarching concern is that it requires no dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and only mothballs that infrastructure for 10 years“, Menendez said.

Democrats have 46 members of their caucus.

“Through my intense study of this agreement, I am convinced that it is the most effective way to ensure Iran can not build a nuclear weapon”, Cohen said in a statement on Wednesday.

Also on Monday, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s office circulated a letter from Reps.

Menendez stepped down as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April amid an indictment on corruption charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.