Obama, Cameron urge Congress not to pass Iran sanctions
President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron urged Congress to back off from Iran sanctions legistlation Friday, with Cameron noting that he has called senators to tell them additional sanctions would be “counterproductive” while the nations try to negotiate a deal to end Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
At a joint press conference at the White House, Obama threatened to veto any Iran sanctions bill if Congress passed it now, arguing that Congress should “hold off” and that it “needs to show patience” while the Obama administration pursues the negotiations — because “the chances that this will become a military confrontation is heightened” if lawmakers try to impose new sanctions now.
“I will veto a bill that comes to my desk, and I will make this argument to the American people as to why I am doing so,” Obama said. “I respectfully request for them to hold off for a few months to see if we have the possibility of solving a big problem without resorting potentially to war.”
Obama had strong backing from Cameron, who acknowledged that he has called “a couple of senators” — whom he didn’t identify — not to lobby them but to tell them Britain doesn’t think the time is right to impose more sanctions on Iran as long as there’s still a possibility of reaching a deal.
“It’s the opinion of the United Kingdom that further sanctions, or further threat of sanctions at this point, won’t actually help to bring the talks to a successful conclusion, and they could fracture the international unity” that has allowed the United States and other countries to present a united front in dealing with Iran, Cameron said.
Obama’s words are sure to infuriate senators from both parties who have been arguing for stronger sanctions — particularly Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the sponsors of the Senate sanctions bill.
But Obama essentially argued that the administration knows the issues best: “It’s my team that’s at the table. We are steeped in this stuff day in and day out. We don’t come to these assessments blindly.”
He also hinted that the time for more sanctions could come later, but only if the talks fall apart.
“If Iran proves unable to say yes … then we’re going to have to explore other options, and I would be the first to come to Congress and say we need to tighten the screws,” Obama said.
Obama and Menendez reportedly clashed over the issue at a private meeting of Democratic senators in Baltimore Thursday.