Page 3 - Aruba Today
P. 3
U.S. NEWS A3
Friday 8 January 2016
US Republican-led panel passes bill on Iran nuclear deal
RICHARD LARDNER cash to fund terrorism. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., left, talks with the committee’s
Associated Press The nuclear deal, co-en- ranking member Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y. on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016, during
WASHINGTON (AP) — The gineered by the United the committee’s hearing on the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act. The GOP-led committee
Republican-led House For- States and Iran and signed approved legislation that would give Congress greater oversight of the landmark nuclear deal
eign Affairs Committee on by five other nations at the with Iran.
Thursday approved leg- table, commits Tehran to
islation that would give cutting back over more (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
the U.S. Congress greater than a decade on nuclear
oversight of the landmark technologies that could be
nuclear deal with Iran. used for weapons-making.
Passage of the bill comes as In exchange, Iran will have
the United States is poised access to about $100 bil-
to begin lifting sanctions lion in previously frozen as-
against Iran, possibly as sets and fully return to the
early as this month, as Teh- oil market.
ran fulfills its obligations un- The committee’s bill targets
der the July 14 agreement. more than 50 individuals
The Iran Terror Finance and entities included in an
Transparency Act would attachment to the nuclear
subject an important part deal that also are on Trea-
of the deal to expanded sury’s “Specially Designat-
scrutiny on Capitol Hill. ed Nationals” list, which
But several Democrats freezes any assets they
who opposed the mea- may have in the U.S. and
sure called it an 11th-hour generally prohibits anyone
attempt to scuttle the in the U.S. from doing busi-
agreement after President ness with them. They were
Barack Obama last year added to the SDN list for fi-
won enough support to nancing terrorism, commit-
prevent Congress from de- ting human rights abuses,
railing it or forcing him to or weapons proliferation.
veto it. The bill would bar The White House would
the removal of certain in- be prohibited from taking
dividuals and foreign finan- them off the SDN list unless
cial institutions on a restrict- it assures Congress they
ed list kept by the Treasury have not “facilitated a
Department until the presi- significant transaction” for
dent certifies to Congress Iran’s Revolutionary Guard
that they weren’t involved Corps, a foreign terrorist
in Iran’s ballistic missiles pro- organization, or anyone
gram or terrorist activities. sanctioned in connec-
Republicans opposed to tion with Iran’s weapons of
the nuclear agreement mass destruction and bal-
have said sanctions relief listic missile programs, ac-
will leave Iran flush with cording to the legislation.q
Kerry says Iran is possibly ‘days
away’ from satisfying nuke deal
BRADLEY KLAPPER “as rapidly as possible.”
Associated Press The Obama administration,
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sec- Kerry said, is “prepared to
retary of State John Kerry move on that day” on the
said Thursday that Iran nuclear-related sanctions
may be “days away” from on Iranian oil, banking and
complying with last sum- commerce that it promised
mer’s nuclear deal, a step to end as part of the July
that would compel the U.S. agreement.
and other Western nations “We are days away from
to immediately suspend implementation if all goes
many sanctions on the Is- well,” Kerry said.
lamic republic. The land- Speaking just hours after
mark could usher in a new a House committee ad-
phase in the budding U.S.- vanced a bill that could in-
Iranian rapprochement. terfere with the administra-
Kerry told reporters he tion’s plans, Kerry said the
spoke earlier in the day nuclear accord already
with Iran’s Foreign Minister has delivered significant
Mohammad Javad Zarif, results. Iran shipped out
who made it clear that the most of its stockpile of en-
Iranians intend to satisfy riched uranium overseas
their nuclear obligations last week.q
