Experts say that the legislatures of Iran and the United States could complicate but not necessarily derail a final agreement on Tehran�s nuclear program.


WASHINGTON (Sputnik)�� The legislatures of�Iran and the United States could complicate but�not necessarily derail a final agreement on�Tehran�s nuclear�PROGRAM, experts told Sputnik.

�The nuclear agreement will have to�satisfy not just each country's negotiators and executive branches, but�also the legislative branches in�order to�become effective," Indiana�UNIVERSITY Iranian Studies Professor Jamsheed Choksy said on�Thursday.

�There may have to�be amendments and reworking of�the deal based on�input from�the US Congress and Majles [Iran�s Parliament], which could extend the diplomatic process beyond�the current deadline,� Choksy added.

On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama�AGREED that the US Congress will be able to�approve a final nuclear deal with�Iran. The reversal in�Obama�s position came after�US Republican lawmakers opposed to�the Iran deal said they had a veto proof majority, but�in order to�get Democratic support agreed to�limit their review to�30 days and delink a nuclear deal from�Iran�s support for�terrorism.

The Obama�ADMINISTRATIONhad argued that allowing the Congress to�approve a final deal would weaken the P5+1 group of�countries� negotiating position and irk international partners negotiating the deal.Choksy noted that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, too, accepted Iran�s parliament would have a say in�a final nuclear agreement set to�be reached by�June 30, 2015 between�the P5+1 group of�countries and Iran.

The arrangement sets the stage for�hardline opponents of�a nuclear deal in�both countries to�potentially scuttle the deal, he said.

"There are opponents of�the deal in�many countries, including in�the US Congress and Iranian Majles. They may well work, for�different reasons in�each country, to�stall or sink the deal,� Choksy said, adding that a final agreement may have to�be reworked based on�the two legislatures� input.

The final outline of�a nuclear deal is yet to�be negotiated and the exact power the two countries� legislatures will ultimately wield remains unknown, Center for�Nonproliferation Studies Senior Research Associate Miles Pomper told Sputnik.
�It will depend in�part on�how Iran reacts to�this procedural move by�the US Congress�� for�instance by�the Majles passing similar legislation�� and in�part on�what is in�the final agreement,� Pomper said.


The expert argued the influence of�the legislatures will probably not undermine the whole process, given how invested all countries, particularly Iran, are in�a final deal. �But it could reshape the final round�of talks and the final agreement,� he said.

Pomper said it is unlikely Iran will be willing to�implement many parts of�the agreement until�it is clear the US Congress will not scuttle the deal, in�particular lifting the sanctions on�Iran related to�its nuclear�PROGRAM.But if Obama and the US State Department agree the final nuclear deal is strong and achieves US goals, Pomper said Obama will likely be able to�gather enough support to�ensure his veto is not overridden by�a two-thirds majority in�both chambers of�Congress.

Under the framework nuclear agreement reached on�April 2, the P5+1 group, which includes the United States, France, China, Russia and the United Kingdom plus Germany, agreed to�gradually lift all nuclear-related sanctions imposed against�Iran in�exchange for�a verified reversal of�Iran�s nuclear program.

US anti-Iran sanctions for�terrorism, human rights abuses and ballistic missiles will not be cancelled.

By Sputnik News