LETTER: Congress should support deal with Iran

With the adoption of the resolution here, the 15-nation body endorsed the landmark nuclear deal entered into between Iran and P5+1 nations of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, plus Germany last week. The 14-page U.N. resolution is legally binding and explains the method of lifting U.N. sanctions, excluding sanctions applied by the United States or the European Union.

Secretary of State John Kerry will brief Congress this week on the nuclear deal with Iran in an effort to build support for its passage.

The agreement also faces opposition in some Middle East states, including Israel and Saudi Arabia.

She urged Iran to release three “unjustly imprisoned” Americans and to determine the whereabouts of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who vanished in Iran in 2007.

Obama said he hoped the passage earlier Monday would “send a clear message that the overwhelming number of countries” recognize that diplomacy is “by far our strongest approach to ensuring that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon”.

“We are disappointed that the UN Security Council passed a resolution on Iran this morning before Congress was able to fully review and act on this agreement”, the joint statement said. In the event of an unresolved dispute over Iran’s enrichment activities, the U.N. sanctions snap back automatically after 30 days.

After the United Nations Security Council gave its unanimous approval to the Iran nuclear deal Monday, President Barack Obama told Congress to “pay attention” to the international consensus.

However, hardliners in Iran are opposed to the deal, with the top commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying he will not accept the accord.

The official described Netanyahu as “blunt” and “passionate”, offering the same kinds of arguments privately that he has made at length in public.

“[Secretary of State John] Kerry expressed little sympathy on Sunday for congressional demands that the Security Council delay its vote, insisting that lawmakers will still have ample opportunity to carry out their review”.

While in theory the US Congress could vote down the deal – McCully said Obama had been doing a lot of work in advance to make sure the green light was given.