US House passes Iran Nuclear Review Bill

Washington, May 15 (IANS/EFE): The US House of Representatives approved a bill mandating congressional review of any agreement that Washington and five other world powers reach with Iran regarding its nuclear program, media reported on Friday.

Adopted last week by the Senate, the bill was passed by the house by a vote of 400-25 and the White House said President Barack Obama will sign the measure.

During the debate in the House, Republicans said they were skeptical of the administration’s ability to negotiate an accord strong enough to ensure that Tehran does not obtain nuclear weapons, Efe reported.

The legislation, which was the product of intense negotiations, gives Congress 30 days to review the nuclear pact with Iran once it is signed. During that period, Obama could lift the sanctions imposed on Tehran by the White House, although he would have to leave the ones imposed by lawmakers in place.

The bill says if both houses of Congress reject the accord by veto-proof majorities, congressional sanctions against Tehran would remain in place. Under the preliminary agreement reached on April 2 between the P5+1 — the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany — and Iran, Tehran’s uranium enrichment program would be subject to strict limits and intrusive monitoring for a period of 25 years.

The text also requires Iran, which insists its nuclear program is peaceful, to dilute or send abroad 95 percent of its existing stockpile of enriched uranium. The deadline to achieve a final agreement is June 30.