A report by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, which he presented to parliament, stressed the importance of completing talks in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal under Iran's newly elected president, Ibrahim Raisi.
In the report, Zarif reflects on the Biden administration's openness towards removing Iran's Revolutionary Guard from Washington's list of terrorist organizations.
This contemplation left US legislators in total dismay and reinforced a sentiment of refusal towards their country returning to the deal and lifting sanctions on Tehran.
Republicans, joined by a handful of Democrats, have been clear and vocal about their resentment towards the Biden administration's approach towards Tehran, especially in its separation of the cleric-led country's nuclear program from its terror-sponsoring activities.
On more than one occasion, these legislators pointed out the futility of the split. They warned that any lifting of sanctions to please the regime in Tehran would encourage its support for terrorism and proxy militias in the region.
Zarif's report to the Iranian parliament, submitted on Tuesday, exposed more details on what was being discussed in Vienna, adding fuel to the fire at Capitol Hill.
Legislators are in the process of evaluating Zarif's report to verify its authenticity, Congress sources told Asharq Al-Awsat, pointing out that many will be contacting the Biden administration to question it about the details of what the foreign minister had mentioned.
They will ask about how valid Zarif's claim about the potential delisting of the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization and other "exaggerated" concessions mentioned in the report.
A decision of this kind, if true, would trigger a massive wave of objection in Congress, sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Even some Democrats, who have been relatively quiet towards the administration's policy to avoid embarrassing Biden, would come out in loud rejection of such a move.
