US Senate Committee passes new Iran nuke bill

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously passed legislation that gives the Congress review power over a final nuclear deal with Iran, Anadolu news agency reported.

The Corker- Menendez bill does not give the Congress a say over the nuclear framework agreement signed earlier this month between Tehran and the world powers; however its gives the Congress the right to agree, reject or abstain on any potential final agreement with Iran later in June this year.

US President Barack Obama has huge differences with a large number of US lawmakers, mainly Republicans who look with suspicion towards Iran and its nuclear program.

Earlier in the day, the White House said that President Barack Obama was ready to sign the bill in its current form.

US media said the new bill reduced the period granted to Congress to make a decision regarding the potential agreement from sixty days to thirty days.

According to the bill, if a final agreement is reached with Iran in June, the US president would have to wait for Congress to give an opinion on the deal before he could lift Congress approved sanctions from the Islamic Republic.

The legislation is expected to pass the full Senate and then the House of Representatives.