Republican senators argue for barring Iran enrichment, moot treaty
Iran International Congressional Reporter
Iran must agree to cease uranium enrichment in any nuclear deal and the US congress could move to enshrine such an agreement in a treaty should US President Trump wish, Republican senators told Iran International.
Whether Iran will be allowed to maintain its domestic uranium enrichment capacity has emerged as a key potential stumbling block in ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran.
The White House and US envoy Steve Witkoff appeared to stiffen their public stance on the issue this month, ruling out enrichment in any deal a day after Witkoff gave a media interview in which he suggested a cap on enrichment would be permissible.
Iran, which maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, has repeatedly said it will not end enrichment.
"I am grateful that they want to achieve a settlement with Iran, but it needs to be much stiffer. There could be no nuclear enrichment," Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said.
"We do hope for a very good deal. We want to avoid war, if at all possible. But no nuclear enrichment."
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi this month proposed a deal to the US delegation envisioning a cap on their uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions, three diplomatic sources in Tehran told Iran International.
In Tehran's framework, the US congress would approve a final agreement, potentially sparing it the fate of a 2015 deal which was axed by President Trump in his first term.
"I think that President Trump is holding Iran accountable, that he's going to tell him exactly the way the hog eats the cabbage. They can't have nuclear weapons," Senator Roger Marshall told Iran International.
A treaty would be more difficult but not impossible, with Trump's backing, the Kansas Republican said.
"I think it'll be very complicated to accomplish that. The amount of senators to agree to that will be a tough, uphill battle, but if that's what President Trump wants to do, then I guess it's feasible."
Outspoken Iran hawk Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana blessed Trump's approach, in which the president has vowed to attack if Iran doesn't agree to a new deal, and said Tehran's foreswearing of enrichment could aid the chances of a treaty.
"It's totally dependent on Iran," Kennedy said. "We can do it the easy way or the harder way.
"I think Congress will consider (a treaty) if Iran is willing to give up all of its nuclear capabilities, civil and military, but other than that, I can't see it."