McConnell starts Iran review process

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says the Senate will hold hearings on the Iran deal, setting the stage for a vote on a resolution of disapproval to overturn it.

“The comprehensive nuclear agreement announced today appears to further the flawed elements of April’s interim agreement because the Obama Administration approached these talks from a flawed perspective: reaching the best deal acceptable to Iran, rather than actually advancing our national goal of ending Iran’s nuclear program,” he said in a statement.

{mosads}McConnell said Senate hearings will focus on whether the accord will allow “anytime, anywhere” inspections of Iran’s military installations and research facilities and whether Iran must disclose the military dimensions of its nuclear program.

He said senators will also look closely at the question of whether sanctions relief is tied to Iran’s strict and verifiable adherences to the terms of the deal.

“The Senate will review these parameters more thoroughly, and approve or disapprove of the deal,” he said, citing the process set up the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act passed earlier this year.

“The test of the agreement should be whether it leaves our country and our allies safer,” he said.

He said Iran’s support of terrorist groups and its development of a ballistic missile program pose a threat to U.S. security and standing in the Middle East.

“These threats are of grave concern to me, and will pose significant challenges to our country and President Obama’s successor. Moreover, these threats aren’t going away—Iran will now just have more funding available to pursue them,” he said.