Congress Warns Biden of Making ‘Concessions’ to Iran

Senator Bob Menendez with Senator Jim Risch (File photo: AFP)
Senator Bob Menendez with Senator Jim Risch (File photo: AFP)
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Congress Warns Biden of Making ‘Concessions’ to Iran

Senator Bob Menendez with Senator Jim Risch (File photo: AFP)
Senator Bob Menendez with Senator Jim Risch (File photo: AFP)

Republican and Democratic lawmakers warned the US administration against removing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from terrorism lists in exchange for Tehran's possible return to the nuclear agreement.

Lawmakers were furious after a two-hour closed briefing with the US Special Envoy for Iran, Rob Malley, on the updates of the Iran nuclear negotiations.

After the meeting, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee came out with any questions about the size of the Biden administration's concessions to the Iranian regime.

Top Republican in the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, issued a scathing statement after the briefing, expressing his extreme anger at "the concessions this administration is considering placating the Iranian regime."

Risch's statement is based on information provided by Malley and US security advisor Brett McGurk.

"A deal that provides $90-$130 billion in sanctions relief relieves sanctions against Iran's worst terror and human rights offenders, and delists the [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] does not support our national security interests,” Risch said.

He warned that the agreement would enable Putin to continue to build his nuclear arsenal and benefit financially amid his aggression against Ukraine.

The Senator reiterated his previous calls for the administration to withdraw from the negotiations, pointing out that US allies in the Middle East and bipartisan lawmakers object to efforts to return to the agreement with Iran.

Democratic concern

Malley's classified briefing highlighted significant Democratic disagreements with the Biden administration in its efforts to return to the nuclear deal.

Several Democratic lawmakers are joining the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez in expressing their concern about the deal, namely in delisting the IRGC.

Democratic Senator Ben Cardin publicly criticized the possibility of removing the IRGC from the blacklist.

"I certainly would very much like to maintain that they are a terrorist organization because they are a terrorist organization," Cardin said.

"I recognize that negotiations will do things sometimes that some of us don't like. So, I'm not going to try to draw red lines. But that designation should remain."

Democrats in the House of Representatives sent a letter to the White House warning against delisting the Corps, saying Iran's nuclear program and activities are not limited to the Middle East through Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, but extend to the rest of the world.

Republican pressure

The Republicans intensified their legislative efforts to oppose any agreement with Tehran.

Over 80 Republican Congressmen sent a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to object to delisting the IRGC as a terror group.

The letter described the IRGC as one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world, saying it is responsible for the death of 600 US servicemen during the US occupation in Iraq.

Furthermore, 49 of the 50 Republicans at the Senate told Biden, democrats, and the international community that an Iran agreement without broad congressional support would not survive.

"Republicans have made it clear: We would be willing and eager to support an Iran policy that completely blocks Iran's path to a nuclear weapons capability, constrains Iran's ballistic missile program, and confronts Iran's support for terrorism,” they said in a letter to Biden last week.

They warned that if the administration agrees to a deal that fails to achieve these objectives or makes achieving them more complex, Republicans will do everything to reverse it.

"Unless Iran ceases its support for terrorism, we will oppose removing and seek to reimpose any terrorism-related sanctions. And we will force the Senate to vote on any Administration effort to do so,” the letter concluded.



Israel Accuses Türkiye of 'Malice' over UN Arms Embargo Call

Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)
Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)
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Israel Accuses Türkiye of 'Malice' over UN Arms Embargo Call

Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)
Israel UN ambassador Danny Danon on Monday accused Türkiye of “malice,” after Ankara submitted a letter calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza. (Reuters/File)

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations on Monday accused Türkiye of "malice," after Ankara submitted a letter signed by 52 countries calling for a halt in arms deliveries to Israel over the war in Gaza.
"What else can be expected from a country whose actions are driven by malice in an attempt to create conflicts with the support of the 'Axis of Evil' countries," said Ambassador Danny Danon, using a pejorative term to describe the countries who signed the letter.
Türkiye’s foreign ministry said Sunday it had submitted the letter to the United Nations, with the signatories including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Israel has faced international criticism for the conduct of its war in Gaza, where its offensive has killed at least 43,374 people, most of them civilians, according to health ministry figures which the United Nations considers to be reliable.
The war began when Palestinian armed group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
“This letter is further proof that the UN is led by some sinister countries and not by the liberal countries that support the values of justice and morality," said Danon.
Türkiye’s letter, seen by AFP Monday, called the "staggering" civilian death toll "unconscionable and intolerable."
"We therefore make this collective call for immediate steps to be taken to halt the provision or transfer of arms, munitions and related equipment to Israel, the occupying Power, in all cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that they may be used in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the letter said.
It added that the UN Security Council (UNSC) must take steps to ensure compliance with its resolutions "which are being flagrantly violated."
The UNSC called in March for a ceasefire in Gaza, but has struggled to speak with a unified voice on the issue due to the veto wielded by Israel's key ally, the United States.
Asked about the joint letter on Monday, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he had not seen it.