US Senate votes unanimously to re-impose Iran sanctions if agreement is broken

Voting on an amendment sponsored by Senator Mark Kirk, the US Senate signaled that it will monitor and ensure that Iran fulfills the terms of any deal that is signed.

The Senate voted unanimously on Thursday for a non-binding amendment to a budget bill intended to make it easier to reimpose Iran sanctions if the country violates a nuclear deal.

As the Obama administration comes “closer then ever” to signing a deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program, the US Senate is stepping up it efforts to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons and that Iran follows through with the agreement it will sign with the P5+1 powers.

The vote was 100-0 for the amendment, sponsored by Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill), which would push to impose sanctions if Tehran violated terms of an interim nuclear agreement now in effect, or the final agreement negotiators hope to reach before July.

The Senate spent Thursday voting on dozens of amendments to a budget resolution. The votes are non-binding because the legislation will not become law, but many senators introduce amendments to send political messages.

The Senate also passed a non-binding amendment to compensate American victims of the 1979 Iran hostage crisis

Kirk is deeply skeptical of international negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. He co-authored a bill that would tighten sanctions on Tehran, which President Barack Obama has threatened to veto, claiming it was a threat to delicate international negotiations.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday the Senate would vote on Kirk’s sanctions bill if international negotiators miss their deadline at the end of this month for reaching a framework nuclear agreement.

By : Reuters and World Israel News Staff