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Senate Introduces Resolution Opposing JCPOA, Presses Biden to Keep Sanctions In Place

The US Capitol is seen in Washington, US, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young
The US Capitol is seen in Washington, US, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young
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Senate Introduces Resolution Opposing JCPOA, Presses Biden to Keep Sanctions In Place

The US Capitol is seen in Washington, US, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young
The US Capitol is seen in Washington, US, January 8, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young

US senators are urging President Joe Biden to refuse to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran as they push for keeping sanctions against Tehran in place.

A number of Republican senators, led by Senator Rick Scott, introduced a resolution expressing opposition to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and urging Biden to work with Congress and refuse to re-join the deal without significant reform.

“President Trump was right to abandon the reckless Iran nuclear deal that President Obama got us into, and I’m proud my colleagues joined me today to oppose re-joining this deal without major changes," he said.

"The sanctions the Trump administration levied on Iran are working, and must remain in place until Iran fully cooperates and their ability to develop nuclear weapons and produce ballistic missiles is permanently removed," he added.

Scott further warned that the new administration must be responsible about this, Saying that Biden should work with the Congress to protect national security and the interests of America and that of Israel.

Also, Senator Joni Ernst joined Scott by asserting that Iran poses major threat in the US as well as in the Middle East.

“Iran continues to pose a serious threat, not only on the global stage as they are allowed to advance their unfettered ballistic missile capacities, but also in the Middle East, as they continue to support and finance terrorist organization proxies that destabilize the region, endangering American service members and our partners."

"President Biden’s first responsibility is to keep the nation safe, and that includes making sure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon," she added in her remarks.

Ernst stressed that the JCPOA was not even enough to permanently dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, adding that Tehran has continued with its destabilizing activities.

"Even to discuss rejoining the original Iran Nuclear Deal right now is unwise. To appease this terrorist state could be catastrophic, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in this important resolution,” she noted.

The proposed resolution was also supported by Senator Kevin Cramer who warned that the nuclear deal jeopardizes the security of the allies in the region and the US people.

"Re-entering it without significant changes would endanger the world. Instead of retrying what already failed, President Biden should work with Congress to develop a strategy to properly combat this state sponsor of terrorism.”

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Peace Inches Forward in Türkiye as Parliament Eyes Cautious PKK Integration

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkish Presidency)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkish Presidency)
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Peace Inches Forward in Türkiye as Parliament Eyes Cautious PKK Integration

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkish Presidency)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkish Presidency)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday hailed a symbolic disarmament move by Kurdish militants as the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s decades-long fight against terrorism, but warned the process would not involve political bargaining.

Speaking at a ruling AK Party consultative meeting in Kızılcahamam, near Ankara, Erdogan said the gesture by a faction of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to lay down and burn its weapons marked “the dawn of a strong and great Türkiye.”

“With the end of a 47-year-old plague of terrorism now in sight, we are opening the doors to a new era,” Erdogan said. “The process ahead will uphold Türkiye’s dignity and respect the sensitivities of its people. No one will be allowed to compromise the honor of this nation.”

The symbolic surrender ceremony took place Friday near Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq, a region long known to harbor PKK fighters.

While Erdogan stopped short of detailing next steps, Turkish sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that gradual legislative moves are expected in parliament starting this week. These may include reduced sentences or pardons for PKK members as part of the wider reconciliation effort.

The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union, has waged an insurgency since 1984 that has killed tens of thousands. Previous attempts at peace talks collapsed in 2015, triggering years of renewed violence.

Erdogan, who has increasingly adopted nationalist rhetoric, stressed that any future measures would be carefully calibrated. “This is not an open-ended negotiation. It is a national process conducted with resolve and clarity,” he said.

Erdogan on Saturday ruled out any political negotiations behind a symbolic disarmament move by Kurdish militants, insisting Türkiye’s ongoing campaign to eliminate terrorism is not the result of concessions or backroom deals.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that the ‘Terror-Free Türkiye initiative we are pursuing is not born of negotiations, bartering, or give-and-take,” Erdogan said in his speech to the ruling AK Party’s consultative gathering in Kızılcahamam.

“Let everyone rest assured: we will never allow the honor of the Republic of Türkiye to be violated. Türkiye will not bow down — and we will move forward with this understanding.”

His remarks came a day after a faction of the PKK held a public ceremony near Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq, where fighters laid down and burned their weapons in what supporters described as a symbolic gesture rather than full surrender.

Pro-PKK figures said the act was meant to preserve the “dignity of the armed struggle,” and called on Turkish authorities to permit Kurdish political participation and release jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999.

Erdogan on Saturday also outlined the next phase in the country’s push to end nearly five decades of Kurdish militancy, saying a parliamentary committee would be formed to examine the legal framework for disarming the PKK.

“We hope the Turkish parliament will support the process with a constructive and facilitative approach,” Erdogan said during a speech to members of his ruling AK Party in Kızılcahamam.

“With the end of terrorism, the Republic of Türkiye will emerge stronger and more self-confident than ever before,” Erdogan said. “We will redirect our energy toward development and prosperity, rather than the fight against terrorism.”

The president vowed to expedite the process while honoring national sensitivities. “We will closely monitor the disarmament step by step. As the terrorist group lays down its arms, Türkiye will grow in fraternity, deepen its democracy, and move into the future with greater stability and security,” he said.