Israel Satisfied With Iran Compromise Deal Between Obama And Congress

The intelligence minister of Israel, Yuval Steinitz, revealed that Israel is satisfied with the compromise deal that was achieved between the administration of President Barack Obama and the US Congress. The compromise, which allows the US Congress to review any nuclear deals with Iran, was considered as a setback for the US president. President Obama gave in to the pressure from both Republicans and some Democrats, albeit reluctantly.

Steinitz revealed that Israel was pleased with the compromise, which is considered as an accomplishment for the policy of Israel. He cited the speech made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US Congress wherein he disagreed with the framework agreement that limits the nuclear program of Iran.

The compromise bill was described by Steinitz as an important component in avoiding a bad deal.

The compromise deal will make it necessary for the Obama administration to provide the US Congress with all the text in any final agreement with Iran. It also limits the capability of Obama in lifting sanctions against Iran as the deal is reviewed by Congress. The lifting of sanctions against Iran will also require a final vote by Congress.

Iran Nuclear Deal -image credit: rappler.com

The White House will also be required to provide Congress with detailed reports on a number of issues connected with the deal, including the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of Iran and its supposed support for terrorism.

Steinitz said the bill increases pressure against any bad agreements, and compels the negotiating team and the administration to ensure all gaps are sealed. The deal should be reasonable enough for Congress to give its seal of approval.

A good amount of political capital was used by President Obama in securing an international agreement that prevents Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The US president relied on sanctions that crippled the economy of Iran, which forced the Middle Eastern country to the negotiating table.

Israel and President Obama had different views on the emerging agreement since Israel fears that it may not be enough to prevent the Islamic Republic from developing its own nuclear arsenal. While Iran maintained that its nuclear program was mainly peaceful, it did not allow international inspectors to check any of its nuclear sites. The compromise deal increases the chances of getting Congressional approval for any agreement with Iran.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday April 15 2015, 10:19 AM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0