After Trump’s Iran deal announcement, US Deransparencymocrats demand transparency

]Washington: Less than a day after President Donald Trump declared that the United States had reached an agreement with Iran, congressional Democrats demanded immediate access to its terms, citing reports that key provisions remain undisclosed and warning that Congress cannot evaluate a deal it has not seen.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer led the push for transparency, saying lawmakers and the public were still in the dark nearly 24 hours after Trump announced the agreement.

“Now, it’s been nearly 24 hours since Trump announced there was a potential deal with Iran, and we still don’t know the details,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

“We’ve been told dozens of times that this war is over, and dozens of times we’ve been disappointed. There have been divergent statements from a variety of people in the administration. In these high-stake negotiations, the devil is in the details, but Trump still hasn’t even revealed the text of his ‘understanding’ with Iran.”

Schumer said Congress must be briefed immediately.

“The American people need to know exactly what’s in the deal. Trump must brief Congress and the public on the details of his understanding with Iran immediately and end this war once and for all,” he said.

He also questioned the administration’s plans for the reported negotiations and the future deployment of American forces in the region.

“Will our troops remain in harm’s way? How does Trump plan to achieve any of the stated goals of his reckless war? What is the plan for the proposed ‘60 days of negotiations’?” Schumer asked.

The New York senator argued that the conflict had left the United States in a weaker position.

“The Iranian regime is more radical than before Trump began his war. Iran has more control over the Strait of Hormuz today than before the war began. Gasoline prices are still dramatically higher than before the war and will remain so for a long time,” he said.

“Americans are scratching their heads wondering what we’ve accomplished in Iran.”

Other Democratic lawmakers echoed the call for greater scrutiny while welcoming signs that diplomacy might be gaining traction.

Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia said he welcomed “news of progress in talks to end the war between the United States and Iran, which has now passed the 100-day mark.”

“While any movement toward ending this war is a positive development, it won’t bring back those who lost their lives, nor will it bring gas prices back to pre-war levels,” Kaine said.

The Virginia Democrat called the conflict “an entirely unnecessary war” and urged negotiators to continue talks.

“Diplomacy is the only real path to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Kaine also stressed that “the details of any agreement with the Iranian regime, including any financial or sanctions relief, must be carefully scrutinized.”

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, similarly welcomed the possibility of progress while expressing concern about the agreement’s substance.

“Diplomatic progress is welcome and long overdue,” Shaheen said.

“While we await additional details about the agreement that President Trump announced, here’s what we do know. The key objectives of this conflict have not been met, from changing the regime to ending Iran’s nuclear program and reducing its capacity to threaten its neighbors through drones, missiles and proxies.”

Shaheen said Congress must be involved in reviewing any future nuclear accord.

“Congress must be immediately briefed on the terms of this agreement and by law will consider any nuclear deal reached,” she said.

In the House, Congresswoman Betty McCollum criticised what she described as a limited framework that failed to resolve the underlying disputes between the two countries.

“The president’s new agreement with Iran is just a tenuous sixty-day extension of the existing ceasefire,” McCollum said.

“The framework announced by President Trump does nothing to resolve the most critical issues in this conflict, such as the status of the Iranian nuclear program, ballistic missile programs, frozen Iranian financial assets, or imposed US sanctions.”

She warned that without progress on those issues, “long-term peace and stability in the region will remain out of reach.”

Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace offered a more supportive response.

“After hearing the news of a deal with Iran, we are praying for real, lasting peace in the Middle East,” Mace said. “We stand with our troops, recognize their courage and sacrifice, and pray for their safe return home.”

–IANS