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| Senate Votes to Extend Iran Sanctions Authority | Senate Votes to Extend Iran Sanctions Authority |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to extend the president’s authority to impose sanctions on Iran for another decade, a largely symbolic move intended to keep pressure on Tehran to abide by the landmark nuclear accord struck last year. | WASHINGTON — The Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to extend the president’s authority to impose sanctions on Iran for another decade, a largely symbolic move intended to keep pressure on Tehran to abide by the landmark nuclear accord struck last year. |
| Many of the sanctions have been suspended since the deal went into effect this year. But senators said that the 99-to-0 vote would help ensure that the United States could quickly reimpose sanctions if Iran violated its obligations under the agreement. | Many of the sanctions have been suspended since the deal went into effect this year. But senators said that the 99-to-0 vote would help ensure that the United States could quickly reimpose sanctions if Iran violated its obligations under the agreement. |
| “This sanctions regime is how we hold Iran accountable, strengthen our security and deter Iranian hostility towards our allies, especially the state of Israel,” said Senator Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan. “Diplomacy is always our preferred course of action, but it does not work in a vacuum. It only works if it is backed up with credible deterrence.” | “This sanctions regime is how we hold Iran accountable, strengthen our security and deter Iranian hostility towards our allies, especially the state of Israel,” said Senator Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan. “Diplomacy is always our preferred course of action, but it does not work in a vacuum. It only works if it is backed up with credible deterrence.” |
| The vote, even if mostly symbolic, is bound to inflame conservatives in Iran who complain that the country has received too few of the benefits it expected from the lifting of international sanctions in January. | The vote, even if mostly symbolic, is bound to inflame conservatives in Iran who complain that the country has received too few of the benefits it expected from the lifting of international sanctions in January. |
| Opponents in Iran have been using the issue in an effort to unseat the moderates backing President Hassan Rouhani, whose government negotiated the pact with the United States, five other nations — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — and the European Union. Those five nations and the bloc have largely lifted their sanctions against Iran, including prohibitions on financial transfers and oil purchases. | Opponents in Iran have been using the issue in an effort to unseat the moderates backing President Hassan Rouhani, whose government negotiated the pact with the United States, five other nations — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — and the European Union. Those five nations and the bloc have largely lifted their sanctions against Iran, including prohibitions on financial transfers and oil purchases. |
| “There will be aggressive posturing by the hard-liners within Iran,” Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, said on Thursday. “I expect that Secretary Kerry will have to have a very difficult call with Zarif,” he added, referring to Secretary of State John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, who was Mr. Kerry’s negotiating partner. | “There will be aggressive posturing by the hard-liners within Iran,” Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, said on Thursday. “I expect that Secretary Kerry will have to have a very difficult call with Zarif,” he added, referring to Secretary of State John Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, who was Mr. Kerry’s negotiating partner. |
| On Friday, the Iranian government described the Senate vote as a “violation” of the nuclear agreement, and the developments angered officials close to Mr. Rouhani, who has become the face of the deal and Iran’s outreach to the West. | |
| The Iranian government has interpreted the agreement to mean that there will be no new sanctions as long as the deal is valid, and it regarded the vote as a serious breach of that accord. “We have an action plan for any situation,” said the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, “and are fully prepared to defend our rights effectively, strongly and wisely in any situation.” | |
| While the Obama administration said the vote would not change anything, the extension of the sanctions authorization will give President-elect Donald J. Trump an easy opportunity to shatter the accord if he wishes. Vice President-elect Mike Pence said during the campaign that the deal would be ripped up, though Mr. Trump, in interviews with The New York Times earlier this year, suggested that he would try to renegotiate the terms, not destroy it. | While the Obama administration said the vote would not change anything, the extension of the sanctions authorization will give President-elect Donald J. Trump an easy opportunity to shatter the accord if he wishes. Vice President-elect Mike Pence said during the campaign that the deal would be ripped up, though Mr. Trump, in interviews with The New York Times earlier this year, suggested that he would try to renegotiate the terms, not destroy it. |
| If the Trump administration tries to alter the deal or to reimpose sanctions, it could prompt Iran to violate a range of obligations, like the disabling of nuclear facilities and the sharp limits on reprocessing uranium. That, in turn, could unwind the deal, and with it, President Obama’s signature foreign policy achievement. | If the Trump administration tries to alter the deal or to reimpose sanctions, it could prompt Iran to violate a range of obligations, like the disabling of nuclear facilities and the sharp limits on reprocessing uranium. That, in turn, could unwind the deal, and with it, President Obama’s signature foreign policy achievement. |
| For Mr. Trump, the nuclear agreement will pose an early test between the pull of his campaign statements — he called the accord “the stupidest deal of all time” — and the push of political realities once he is in office. | For Mr. Trump, the nuclear agreement will pose an early test between the pull of his campaign statements — he called the accord “the stupidest deal of all time” — and the push of political realities once he is in office. |
| Some hope that Mr. Trump will change course. In an interview with the BBC, the departing C.I.A. director, John O. Brennan, said that ending the agreement would be “disastrous” and “the height of folly.” | Some hope that Mr. Trump will change course. In an interview with the BBC, the departing C.I.A. director, John O. Brennan, said that ending the agreement would be “disastrous” and “the height of folly.” |
| Republicans have been arguing for new sanctions on Iran — not for its nuclear activities, but over human rights violations, terrorism and the support of Hezbollah. | Republicans have been arguing for new sanctions on Iran — not for its nuclear activities, but over human rights violations, terrorism and the support of Hezbollah. |
| “Given Iran’s continued pattern of aggression and the country’s persistent efforts to expand its sphere of influence across the region, preserving these sanctions is critical,” the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said on Thursday. He said he expected the Trump administration and the new Congress to “undertake a total review of our overall Iran policy.” | “Given Iran’s continued pattern of aggression and the country’s persistent efforts to expand its sphere of influence across the region, preserving these sanctions is critical,” the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said on Thursday. He said he expected the Trump administration and the new Congress to “undertake a total review of our overall Iran policy.” |
| A White House official said that Mr. Obama would sign the legislation, which overwhelmingly passed the House in November. | A White House official said that Mr. Obama would sign the legislation, which overwhelmingly passed the House in November. |
| The measure does not affect the commitment the United States made as part of the nuclear accord to provide sanctions relief if Iran meets its obligations, the official added, and the secretary of state will retain the authority to waive all nuclear-related sanctions authorized by the legislation. | The measure does not affect the commitment the United States made as part of the nuclear accord to provide sanctions relief if Iran meets its obligations, the official added, and the secretary of state will retain the authority to waive all nuclear-related sanctions authorized by the legislation. |