A new draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has triggered alarm in Washington, after it was revealed by Al Arabiya. The draft reportedly calls for a 60-day ceasefire, sanctions relief, and the opening of shipping lanes in return for regional de-escalation. The article says the central question is whether lawmakers have enough power to veto White House foreign policy, or whether the administration can carry out the deal without formal approval.
Fox News reported that Republican Senator John Kennedy is leading the backlash. Kennedy warned that the agreement would give Tehran “economic oxygen” and questioned how the deal could be verified. In a sharp on-air attack, he said, “They learned to lie before they learned to speak, and they cannot be trusted. No one is sure Iran will do anything. On the other hand, it is not fair to expect anything else from them, after all, we are negotiating with an enemy.”
Kennedy also tied the issue to Iran’s nuclear program, saying Congress would act to protect U.S. interests. He said, “Would I like to see us acquire the fissile material? Yes, along with the centrifuges. Will that happen in the end? I still do not know. We will know in a nano-second if Iran restarts its nuclear program, and then we can go back in and bomb, as we did last year.”
The report says the Senate still has tools to disrupt implementation even if the administration tries to bypass formal treaty procedures. The strongest is budget control, including legislation blocking funds for releasing frozen Iranian assets or financing the deal. Congress can also pass permanent sanctions that the president cannot simply отменe, and can summon administration officials under oath to expose the vague verification mechanisms and political concessions. Lawmakers argue the issue is not only the agreement itself, but the risk that transfers of money to Tehran would give the regime breathing room to recover while continuing military ambitions under the radar.
