US Republican says Iran deal makes world ‘less safe’

WASHINGTON: A top Republican from the US Congress on Saturday blasted the Iran nuclear deal as “deeply flawed” and said the agreement would make the world “less safe.”
Congress is due to vote next month on whether to endorse the deal reached in July between Iran and six world powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
But Republicans are deeply opposed, saying the deal makes too many concessions to Iran and does so at the expense of the security of America and its allies.
“If this agreement goes through, Iran gets a cash bonanza, a boost to its international standing, and a path toward nuclear weapons,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce in the Republicans’ weekly address.
“This deal is deeply flawed. It makes the world less safe. We can — and must — do better,” he added.
Royce recently introduced a resolution that prevents implementation of the agreement. The House of Representatives will vote on the matter next month.
If the Republican-dominated Congress passes a resolution against the deal, President Barack Obama is expected to veto that move, though the administration would like to avoid such a scenario.
Momentum appears to be growing in support of the deal, with Senate Democrat Tom Carper announcing on Friday that he supports it, putting the pro-Obama camp at 30.
The Democrats need 34 supporters in the Senate to uphold Obama’s expected veto.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military capability has not been affected by its nuclear deal last month with six world powers, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, moving to reassure hardliners that the deal was no sign of Iranian weakness.
“With regards to our defensive capability, we did not and will not accept any limitations,” Rouhani said at a press conference carried on live television.
“We will do whatever we need to do to defend our country, whether with missiles or other methods.
“Last week, Iran unveiled a new surface-to-surface missile it said could strike targets with pinpoint accuracy within a range of 500-km, a move likely to worry Tehran’s regional rivals.
Rouhani said at the ceremony that Iran’s military might was a precondition for peace, after being criticised by hardline factions in Iran’s multi-tiered leadership for negotiating with Western powers they see as fundamentally hostile to the Islamic Republic.
Under the July 14 pact, Iran agreed to strict limitations on its nuclear programme to ensure it cannot be turned to developing atomic bombs, in exchange for a removal of international sanctions imposed on Tehran. Iran denies ever seeking bomb capability from its nuclear programme.
According to the deal, any transfer to Iran of ballistic missile technology during the next eight years will be subject to the approval of the UN Security Council, and the United States has promised to veto any such requests.
An arms embargo on conventional weapons also stays, preventing their import into and export out of Iran for five years.