Senate Democrats to Defy Obama on Iran - Report.

Senate Democrats to Defy Obama on Iran - Report.

The National Journal reports on its Thursday edition that in a bold act of defiance against the Obama administration, key Democrats will side with GOP on introducing bipartisan legislation to impose additional sanctions against Iran. President Obama has asked Congress to wait while the administration works toward a comprehensive nuclear deal in the framework of the interim Geneva agreement.

The proposed new sanctions would kick in after the six-month negotiating window to reach a comprehensive deal on Iran's nuclear program runs out, or if Iran fails to hold up its end of the bargain in the interim.

“I am working with a series of members, and I expect we'll have some type of an announcement tomorrow,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said Wednesday.

“The dynamics are what I've always said they would be, which is to give the president the space and time so that he can test the Iranians' seriousness of purpose in terms of whether they are willing to strike an agreement, but to be ready should they ultimately fail,” Menendez added. (National Journal, 19 December)

The administration argues that even the introduction of the bill threatened to undermine the international negotiations.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who is part of the talks, said Wednesday that he is committed to pushing forward on a sanctions bill to keep pressure on Iran and would like to see a bill with strong, clear language and the broadest possible bipartisan coalition introduced as soon as possible.

"The agreement with Iran is a very preliminary first step, and that continued pressure is important through the possibility of increased sanctions, if this first step fails to lead to a more permanent lasting agreement," he said. "I am going to continue to pursue potential sanctions with a number of colleagues who share the same goal. ... Sanctions is what brought the Iranians to the table, and they should be under no illusions that they will be dissipated or diminished if this agreement effort fails."

"They are putting on the most intense pressure," said John McCain, R-Ariz., who is working on the legislation and said he expects the bill will be introduced before the Senate adjourns. "It is very significant that it would be introduced, and I think there would be significant pressures from both sides of the aisle to have it pass so that six months from now—if there is failure to negotiate—it kicks in."

Blumenthal would not discuss specific conversations with the administration, but he acknowledged that his phone has been ringing off the hook. "I have been receiving a lot of calls," he said. "We are listening to the administration and certainly heeding their points, but we have a separate and independent responsibility." Blumenthal added that lawmakers' goal is not to impede diplomatic efforts but to strengthen them, and that lawmakers need to keep up pressure for a vote on sanctions legislation.Read the full story here.