The Iran Nuclear Deal: Americans Have a Short Memory

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stand with Dr. Ali Akbar Salehi, the Vice President of Iran for Atomic Energy and President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, far left, and U.S Energy Secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz, far right, on February 23, 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland, before a discussion about the future of Iran’s nuclear program. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

No matter your feelings on whether or not President Trump was right or wrong to cancel the Iran deal, the fact it was possible shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The GOP, led by Senator Tom Cotton reminded Iran of just such a possibility in March of 2015 with an open letter. Here Peter Baker reports on the letter in a contemporaneous New York Times article (abridged):

March 9, 2015

WASHINGTON —

In a rare direct congressional intervention into diplomatic negotiations, the Republicans signed an open letter addressed to “leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran” declaring that any agreement without legislative approval could be reversed by the next president “with the stroke of a pen.”

The letter, drafted by Senator Tom Cotton, a freshman from Arkansas, and signed by all but seven members of the Senate Republican majority, warned Iran that a deal with Mr. Obama might not stick. “The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen.

Mr. Cotton said he drafted the letter because Iran’s leaders might not understand America’s constitutional system.