US Congress split in the middle over ‘divisive deal’

A deal over Iran’s nuclear programme, which could become the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy legacy, has left the US Congress bitterly divided on partisan lines.

While the Democratic lawmakers hailed it as a historic moment towards achieving their goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the opposition Republican party expressed concern over the long-term impact of the deal given the experience of the international community with Iran in this regard.

‘Iran hasn’t given the world reason to be anything but deeply skeptical of any agreement that leaves their capacity to build nuclear weapons intact. The President sees wisdom in placing trust, however limited, in a regime that has repeatedly violated international norms and put America’s security at risk,’ said Republican Congressman Howard P ‘Buck’ McKeon, Chairman of the?House Armed Services Committee.

Another Republican leader Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed serious concerns that this agreement does not meet the standards necessary to protect the United States and its allies.

‘Instead of rolling back Iran’s programme, Tehran would be able to keep the key elements of its nuclear weapons-making capability. Yet we are the ones doing the dismantling ? relieving Iran of the sanctions pressure built up over years. This sanctions relief is more lifeline than modest,’ Royce said.

Expressing concern over the agreement, Majority Leader Eric Cantor said while numerous UN Security Council resolutions have called for the full suspension of Iran’s nuclear activities, it is troubling that this agreement still permits the Iranians to continue enriching. 

‘It is critical that distrust but verify be the guiding principle with which we approach this agreement,’ he said.

‘Iran’s long history of noncompliance with the UN Security Council is well known, as is its use of secret facilities to pursue its nuclear programme. Iran remains the world’s most active state sponsor of terrorism and the most destabilizing force in the Middle East,’ he said.