Following comments from President Obama that appear to take U.S. military action off the table for preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, Senator Bob Corker said the Iranians have never thought the president would “use the military option, ever”. He also raised concern about how the U.S. is continuing to make concessions in favor of Iran as the deadline for a final agreement approaches.
Senator Corker said, “The Iranians have never ever, ever, thought this president would use the military option, ever, and I think [the Obama administration] ha[s] shown…they are doing everything they can to race to a deal, instead of sitting back and letting Iran come to them. It just seems like we are marching towards [Iran’s] position.”
Beginning this week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a series of briefings and hearings this month to prepare members for congressional review of a nuclear agreement with Iran if a final deal is reached.
“There are questions that still have not been answered,” Senator Corker said. “This month…we're spending an inordinate amount of time making sure [Congress] understands every detail that is important in a nuclear agreement.”
Following enactment of Senator Corker’s legislation, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, Congress will have up to 52 days once an agreement is submitted to the House and Senate in order to consider a resolution of approval or disapproval. During that time, the president will be prohibited from suspending, waiving or otherwise reducing congressional sanctions on Iran.