US Lawmakers, European Nations Scramble to Save Iran Deal From Trump

European Officials Look to Lobby Congress

Jason Ditz 

Posted onOctober 11, 2017CategoriesNewsTagsEuropean Union, Iran, Trump

President Trump is expected to decertify the P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran this week, pushing the issue to Congress for a vote. With Iran not having violated the deal, Trump’s efforts to kill it are fueling a lot of reaction at home and abroad.

European nations are looking down the road for ways to save the deal, saying that it would be difficult to keep the deal in place if the US withdraws. The nations are planning to issue a joint statement in support of the deal, and also commit to lobbying Congress on the matter.

Congress was broadly opposed to the deal two years ago, but it’s not clear that’s the case anymore. Heavy Israeli lobbying was making it a very divisive issue back then, and while the lobby still has some opposition to the deal, it’s not clear it’s as vocal, nor necessarily something the EU couldn’t counter with its own lobbying.

Some top figures in Congress are already deeply skeptical of the Trump effort to kill the deal, with Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) saying the US should “enforce the hell out of it” instead. With many nations seemingly committed to at least trying to keep the deal going with or without US involvement, they see pulling out as simply losing their seat at the table for enforcement of the pact.

http://news.antiwar.com/2017/10/11/us-lawmakers-european-nations-scramble-to-save-iran-deal-from-trump/