WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein — As written, the new bill would prevent the removal of sanctions on the 400 individuals and entities currently slated for sanctions relief under the JCPOA until the US administration can certify that those individuals did not play a role in supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program. The bill passed the Foreign Affairs Committee without a single Democrat voting for it.
"It would, of course it would," Engel told Sputnik on Thursday when asked if the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act would violate the US terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Engel added that while he supports new sanctions on Iran for recent ballistic missile tests, the current bill is “not a serious effort” to accomplish that.
During the Thursday debate on the bill, Congressman Ted Deutch warned against "preventing implementation of the JCPOA" by creating an onerous certification process.
Congressman Brad Sherman noted the congressional effort that would scuttle the nuclear deal was timed immediately after Iran shipped out the majority of its enriched uranium for reprocessing in Russia.
"I do not think this is a spectacularly well-timed bait and switch program with the uranium," Sherman said of the new sanctions bill.
The new sanctions bill will almost certainly be vetoed by President Barack Obama and may face opposition in the Senate. According to Secretary of State John Kerry, the United States will be moving ahead with Iranian sanctions relief in the near future.
