Iran Now Demands End To Conventional Arms Embargo In Talks

Is it any wonder that Iran leaders disrespect John Kerry and
demand anything they wish? Kerry sold out America before!
In 1970, he met illegally with Vietnamese communists.
Iran respects strength not traitors.  (Read More)

Today in Washington, D.C. - July 13, 2015:
The House reconvened at Noon today. Did the Pledge, received some senate communications and then recessed until 4:00 P.M. today.

On Friday, Speaker John Boehner and the other House GOp leadership released the following statement on the resignation of OPM Director Katherine Archuleta – a departure that comes less than 24 hours after GOP leaders called for President Obama to fire her: "The resignation of the OPM director does not in any way absolve the president of the responsibility to repair this damage to our national security. We know from last year’s resignation of the VA secretary that a change in personnel does not always lead to real change. We applaud the work of Chairman Chaffetz and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and we will hold the president accountable for restoring the public’s confidence."

The Senate will reconvene at 3 PM today. Following an hour of morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1177, the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015.

At 5:30, the Senate will vote on two more amendments to S. 1177, offered by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Time Kaine (D-VA).

Iran Demandsz End To Conventional Arms Embargo:

According to Bloomberg News, “U.S. and Iranian diplomats are digging in over the last remaining issues holding up a historic nuclear deal, casting doubt on earlier optimism that an accord could be announced as early as Monday. Negotiations that continued overnight and into the early hours couldn’t bridge all the gaps, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Iranian journalists in Vienna.”

CNN reports, “One of the final sticking points standing in the way of a historic nuclear deal with Iran is the wording of a United Nations Security Council resolution and the issue of a conventional weapons embargo, CNN has learned from multiple sources Monday taking part in talks.

“Iran has been pushing for any resolution which forms part of a deal to curb its nuclear program include the lifting of an embargo against the sale of conventional weapons and missiles. Russia has supported the move. The United States in particular has been resisted it.

“‘Under no circumstances should we relieve pressure on Iran relative to ballistic missile capabilities and arms trafficking,’ said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Martin Dempsey last week on Capitol Hill.”

One concerning aspect is the apparent focus on spinning the deal before it’s done, as opposed to ensuring it’s a good deal.

Bloomberg notes, “U.S. and Iranian desires to portray a deal as a victory to domestic audiences are also hampering progress, the officials said. China, Russia and the European nations at the talks -- France, Germany and the U.K. -- had settled on earlier wording that both the U.S. and Iran now want to change.”

Meanwhile, according to a Washington Times report, “Iran is already making preparations for a major celebration declaring the looming nuclear deal a success for the Islamic Republic, Iranian news agencies reported Monday as negotiators met in Vienna to work out final details. . . .

“The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Tehran province is making preparations for a celebration of the end of the talks — which presumably will mean the lifting of many of the sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy in recent years. ‘We support public jubilation for success of the nuclear negotiators,’ provincial Governor General Hossein Hashemi told the news agency.”

Of course many reasons remain to be skeptical of a deal reached with Iran based on the framework President Obama announced in April.

As the AP notes, “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and other congressional leaders expressed doubts Sunday about a historic agreement with Iran to address that country's nuclear program, predicting President Barack Obama could face hurdles in Congress if negotiators reach a final deal. . . .

“‘This is going to be a very hard sell for the administration,’ McConnell said on ‘Fox News Sunday’ when asked about the likelihood of Congress signing off on a deal.”

Leader McConnell laid out his concerns to Bret Baier yesterday: “We already know that it's going to leave Iran as a threshold nuclear state. We know that. It appears as if the administration's approach to this was to reach whatever agreement the Iranians are willing to enter into. So I think it's going to be a very hard sell -- if it's completed -- in Congress.

“There was another option here I would like to remind people. Rather than spending multiple years trying to get one of the worst regimes in the world to agree to limit their nuclear capability, we could ratchet up the sanctions even further because that's what brought them to the table in the first place. But, the administration chose to go down this path and we're going to be interested in things like will Iranians reveal their past research and development. What have they done in the past on this subject? Is it verifiable? Will we be able to look at all of their military bases? And by the way, even if you're satisfied on all of that Bret, there's all of the other collateral activities and what they're up to in Syria and Lebanon and Gaza and Yemen. Which is not part of it. Apparently the ballistic missile capability, the ability to launch such a weapon to a target is not addressed as well.”

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