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Iran nuclear deal: Historic accord reached

  1. Negotiators from the US, Iran, and other major world powers have reached a deal on curbing Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relaxing international sanctions.
  2. President Obama is expected to speak about the deal at 7 am ET.
  3. The full text of the deal runs to more than 80 pages, and of course the details matter.
  4. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed continued displeasure with the direction of negotiations, and Israeli opposition will be an impediment to securing congressional support for the deal.
  5. The White House’s fact sheet and talking points on the deal are available here.

Congress will have a narrow path to block the deal

In principle, the US Congress still has the ability to scuttle the deal, but it will be difficult. Under the terms of a legislative compromise between the White House and Senator Bob Corker, Congress will have the opportunity to vote to register its disapproval of the administration’s diplomacy. But unless it can overcome a presidential veto, Obama’s actions will stand.

In practice, overcoming a veto is very difficult. The congressional politics around this will matter politically, but they are unlikely to alter the actual foreign policy.

Iran’s president says the crisis is “resolved”

Netanyahu says the deal is a historic mistake

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