fbpx

Senator Menendez to announce Iran nuclear deal stance

Sen. (D-N.J.) Robert Menendez, who is widely expected to oppose a proposed nuclear deal with Iran, is set on Tuesday to formally announce his position on the pact.
[additional-authors]
August 17, 2015

Sen. (D-N.J.) Robert Menendez, who is widely expected to oppose a proposed nuclear deal with Iran, is set on Tuesday to formally announce his position on the pact.

Congress is poised to vote in September on the U.S.-led international agreement. As proposed by President Barack Obama and other world powers, the deal aims to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions on the country.

To prevent it from being killed by Republican opponents in the U.S. Congress, Obama needs to lock up support from his fellow Democrats, but he has a long way to go.

Menendez worked on legislation setting the congressional review process for the deal and he has made sharp comments, leading some to speculate that he would end up opposing it. Aides to the senator would not give any hint of his decision, however.

Earlier this month, Obama suffered a setback when Senator Chuck Schumer, the chamber's third-ranking Democrat, announced his opposition. At least 18 Democrats have said they will back the deal, far short of the 34 needed to keep it alive by sustaining a likely Obama veto of any disapproval legislation.

One Senate Democratic aide said on Monday that as many as 20 Democrats in the chamber now favor of the deal. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid was expected to declare his position in early September.

When the Senate convened in January under Republican control, Menendez had to relinquish his Foreign Relations Committee chairmanship. His fortunes slipped further in April, when a grand jury indicted him on corruption charges and he stepped down from his post as the senior Democrat on the panel.

Menendez denies any wrongdoing and is fighting the criminal charges.

Months before the Iran negotiations wrapped up, Menendez spoke to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is furiously working to kill the deal, stressing his close ties to Israel while questioning Iran's intentions.

“You can be certain the mullahs (Iran's leaders) are not going to call us in Washington when they decide to breach the agreement. They're going to sneak out, covertly, gradually over time, when they think we're not looking,” he said.

Besides the United States and Iran, the deal includes Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union.

Menendez will announce his position during a speech on Tuesday at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.

Editor's Picks

Latest Articles

Bringing Israeli Doctors Back

ScienceAbroad works with two groups in medicine: physicians who leave Israel for fellowships and Israeli students who attend medical school in Europe.

The Antizionist’s Dilemma

It’s not easy being an antizionist these days. Especially if you’re determined to live in accordance with your most important moral imperative: the denigration of the world’s only Jewish state.

How the Supreme Court Adapted Parshat Shoftim

The Torah offers a better model than avenging and avoiding. It offers a safe opportunity for parties to meet and peacefully explain their perspectives, which might have been misunderstood. They can offer apologies and, where necessary, make amends for harms caused.

Can One Be a Non-Observant Orthodox Jew?

The tradition has always been bigger than any one person’s grip on it. What draws me is simple: I think these texts are a good part of why we are still here as a people. I want to know them and, in my own way, embrace them. Orthodox is where I turn.

Lies, Damned Lies and the Right Side of History

One question alone matters these days: Does this fact strengthen my tribe, or is it bad for it? If bad, it must be suppressed, denied, explained away. The higher truth is the narrative that serves the cause, the quest of the righteous and true.

Life Lessons in Old Age

Hardship and joy are present at every step. There is no time when it will be all good, so focus on the good and carry on. There are always moments to savor and appreciate.

More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.