New Iran sanctions violate deal, will be vetoed

Any bill from Congress regarding new, nuclear-related sanctions on Iran during international talks over its nuclear program will be vetoed by US President Barack Obama, the State Department said on Tuesday.

Talks resume between Iran, the permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany in Geneva this week. The parties seek to forge a political framework agreement ending global concerns over the nature of Iran’s program by the end of March.

But in Congress, now under full Republican control, leadership plans on introducing a bill this week that would “trigger” new sanctions on Iran should talks ultimately fail, or should Tehran violate terms of an interim deal that laid the groundwork for negotiations, formally known as the Joint Plan of Action.

“Even with a trigger, if there’s a bill that’s signed into law, and it is US law, in our mind it is a violation of the Joint Plan of Action— which, as we’ve said, could encourage Iran to violate it,” State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Tuesday.

Read More: State Department: New Iran sanctions violate deal, will be vetoed – Middle East – Jerusalem Post