US ‘Military Options Remain’ Against Iran

Cruz, citing Moniz’s testimony from another hearing, said the energy secretary did not understand what an electromagnetic pulse was.

McCain was quick to interject.

Citing chapter and verse of the deal, Ayotte pointed out that the “plain language” of the bargain requires the United States “to help strengthen Iran’s ability to protect against sabotage of its nuclear program” – even to the point of warning Iran if Israel tries to launch cyberattacks against the program. There are only technical documents that are standard practice and not released publicly.

Boxer told Kerry that if he were “bamboozled, the world was bamboozled”.

Heinonen explained that the IAEA secretariat can’t divulge these side agreements to other member states on its own initiative. We don’t get that.

“Fifteen years from now Iran will be essentially off the hook” for compliance with the agreement, Engel said, a contention Kerry rejected.

The deal has been broadly welcomed in Tehran, with officials lining up to back the government for securing relief from sanctions in exchange for curbs on a few but not all of its nuclear activities.

Wednesday’s hearing is the third in a week. And Ayatollah Khamenei’s words left little, if any, room for hope that Iran – long the world’s top state supporter of terrorism – is changing its menacing ways.

The debate over the details largely reflects internal rivalries in Iran’s cumbersome dual system of clerical and republican rule, in which factions jostle to gain maximum benefit from the deal while deflecting blame.

The other was to warn Congress that a vote against the Iranian deal could mean that Israel will find itself more isolated in the worldwide arena and “more blamed”. “The alternative to the deal we’ve reached isn’t a better deal – some sort of unicorn arrangement involving Iran’s complete capitulation”.

Congress has until September 17 to endorse or reject the pact. The U.S. Congress has 60 days to decide whether to lift the separate U.S. sanctions. “We can’t lock it up directly”, Lew said.

“Iran has cheated on every agreement they’ve signed”, said Ed Royce (Republican-California), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said.

Mohammad Javad Zarif’s remarks came during a news conference with visiting EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, as they seek to ensure that the agreement swiftly takes effect. “It places no limitations on what the Department of Defense can and will do to pursue our defense strategy in the region”.

The Obama administration faced a tough crowd this morning as it defended its nuclear agreement with Iran in Congress. Both of Alaska’s senators are among the chorus of lawmakers who say the deal is bad for the U.S. and the region.

U.S. Congress is expected to vote on the deal in the fall.

“We will continue to maintain a strong military posture to deter aggression”, Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Officials are delivering assurances to Congress that the administration is prepared to offer additional assistance to Israel and Persian Gulf states and to respond militarily to Iranian misbehavior.

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), who represents Rezaian’s district, said July 14 that he expects “to take full advantage of the 60-day review period before deciding how to vote on this important matter”. With Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew waiting to testify, he asked if Tehran “has earned the right to be trusted” given its history. Rejection would prevent Obama from waiving most US-imposed sanctions on Iran.

“The inexcusable plight of these long-suffering Americans perfectly illustrates the contempt Iran’s ruling mullahs show America in general and the Obama administration specifically”, said Rohrabacher, a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee chairman.

Although global inspectors have visited Iran’s nuclear sites for years, critics have said such restrictions on military facilities will hamper any effective enforcement of the deal.