As the US Congress begins evaluating the recent nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Iran, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on Thursday with senior Obama administration officials appearing to testify.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and his colleagues from the Department of Energy and Department of Treasury defended the nuclear agreement in this hearing. In his preliminary remarks Kerry once again stipulated that this agreement blocks all paths for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Don’t be mistaken, we will never accept Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon… this plan was aimed to only respond to the nuclear issue and not to reform the regime or bring an end to its support for terrorism and sectarian violence in the Middle East, he emphasized. We have deep concerns in this regard and will continue to take real steps in this regard… this agreement guarantees that Iran’s nuclear program will remain under intense scrutiny, Kerry added. US sanctions imposed for human rights violations, terrorism and the regime’s ballistic missiles will remain intact, he continued.
Senators in their Q&A with Obama’s secretaries pinpointed the defects of this agreement and stressed on adopting a firm policy in this regard.
Committee Chairman Bob Corker underscored Iran’s nuclear program must be completely abolished and added there hasn’t been a single scientist or witness to provide a practical reason for the development of this program. Senator Corker went on to speak about the regime’s terrorist meddling in the region, emphasizing with Iran’s support Assad’s government could not have remained in power.
Ranking Democrat Senator Bod Cardin emphasized on distrusting Iran and said the main goal of the agreement is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Senator Menendez in his remarks highlighted on measures to re-impose sanctions on Iran.
In response to the senators Kerry said such harsh restrictions will be imposed on Iran under the nuclear agreement that they will not be able to even think about making a bomb.
