Obama signs Iran nuclear review bill

Published May 23rd, 2015 - 05:00 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

US President Barack Obama signed into law Friday legislation that gives Congress the right to review any final nuclear deal between Iran and international negotiators. 

In recent weeks the US House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Iran Nuclear Review Act of 2015, sending the bill to the president. 

Despite earlier threats to veto the measure, Obama dropped his warning last week after lawmakers reached a compromise removing some of the bill's toughest provisions. 

The bill gives Congress 30 days to review a final nuclear deal after international negotiators reach such an agreement, and during that time bars Obama from temporarily waiving any US sanctions on Iran that were passed by Congress.

Pro-Israel lobbies in Washington, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the American Jewish Committee, supported and actively lobbied for the legislation, which also requires the president submit verification reports of Iranian compliance to the deal.

Under a tentative framework agreement reached between six major powers and Tehran in April, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activity in return for sanctions relief. A final deal could be reached by June 30.

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