Following the conclusion of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 group of countries in Vienna on July 14, the UN Security Council (UNSC) circulated a draft resolution in support of the JCPOA to the 15-council members Wednesday.
The speed with which that vote has come up, so close after the deal’s signing, shocked and upset some in the US Congress who are against the nuclear agreement.
With the agreement approved at the UNSC, any potential opposition from the US Senate and lawmakers to the deal will be practically rendered in contrast to the Security Council’s resolution.
The timing of the UNSC vote raised the objection of senators Ben Cardin and Bob Corker, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In a letter addressed to President Obama, the two expressed their concern over the fact that United Nations Security Council will be able to vote on the agreement before the United States Congress can do the same.
They also urged the Obama administration to postpone the vote at the UNSC until after Congress has considered the agreement, which was followed by the opposition of the chief US negotiator in the Iran talks, Wendy Sherman, who rejected on Thursday the idea that the US should delay the UN vote.
The White House submitted Iran and the 5+1 nuclear agreement to the Congress on Sunday. The US congress began day one of the 60-day review period today to review the JCPOA and its five annexes.
The vote on the draft UN resolution, which will set the stage for the lifting of Security Council sanctions against Iran, is scheduled to take place at 9:00 am New York time (17:30 Tehran time) on Monday.
The text of the UN resolution calls for the full implementation of the Vienna agreement reached on July 14 and urges UN member countries to facilitate the process.