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US Senate panel passes bill over n-deal with Iran
US
Senate panel passes bill over n-deal with Iran
Washington, April 15 A Senate panel approved a bill demanding a
congressional review of any nuclear deal the Obama administration inks with
Iran by the end of June.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday voted 19-0 to pass an amended
version of the bill, which will advance to the full Senate for a vote, Xinhua
reported.
The new bill, while blocking President Barack Obama from lifting the sanctions
on Iran during the review period, reduces the period to 52 days from the original
60 days, and allows the president to submit the accord after the June deadline
for concluding the negotiations.
Obama, who has threatened to veto the draft bill, was willing to sign the new
one, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said on Tuesday.
"The president would be willing to sign the proposed compromise that is
working its way through the committee today," Earnest told reporters at a
daily news briefing.
The US, Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany are set to resume talks
with Iran soon over a final deal after reaching a framework pact early this
month, and the Obama administration has repeated opposition to any interference
in the negotiations.
During his closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill Monday and on Tuesday,
Secretary of State John Kerry urged lawmakers to give the administration more
space to seal a deal with Iran.
House Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday once again accused the Obama
administration of pursuing a deal with Iran "at any cost,"
reiterating a call for congressional review of any agreement reached.