Iran Brings Up Republicans' Letter in Nuclear Talks - East Idaho News
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Iran Brings Up Republicans’ Letter in Nuclear Talks

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getty 031715 USIranTalks?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1426594249011iStock/Thinkstock(LAUSANNE, Switzerland) — The letter that Obama administration officials fear could waylay efforts to arrive at a deal to freeze Iran’s nuclear program suddenly became as issue during talks Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the letter signed by 47 Republican senators that warned Tehran that any agreement can be scuttled by a new president was brought up to Secretary of State John Kerry by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

The Journal, quoting a senior official familiar with the discussions, said that the missive instigated by Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton was not helpful to the negotiations. Zarif, meanwhile, also referred to it before leaving for Brussels, telling reporters, “We see the letter as a political move, we need to know the U.S. government’s stance on this issue.”

Nonetheless, U.S. and Iranian officials appear determined to try and work out an agreement before the March 31 deadline. Zarif will now confer with European negotiators who acknowledged that there was still much more ground to cover.

No matter their differences, the White House believes that skeptical lawmakers can be convinced to go along with a deal, provided it’s shown that Iran won’t be able to obtain a nuclear weapon.

However, Republicans remain adamant that any agreement with Iran is essentially worthless without the approval of Congress despite the president being legally able to sign a pact on his own.


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