Republicans in the US Senate may have secured the necessary number of votes to pass a bill proposed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz to curb sanctions waivers that allow Iran and Russia to cooperatively bolster Tehran's nuclear program, the Washington Free Beacon reported on Friday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd February, 2023) Republicans in the US Senate may have secured the necessary number of votes to pass a bill proposed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz to curb sanctions waivers that allow Iran and Russia to cooperatively bolster Tehran's nuclear program, the Washington Free Beacon reported on Friday.
The sanctions waivers date back to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement - formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Acton (JCPOA) - and have been consistently renewed by the Biden administration, the report said.
The waivers have been also been a pressure point for lawmakers concerned about Russia's alliance with Iran, which has continued to supply weapons for Russia to use in its special military operation in Ukraine, the report said.
Cruz was quoted as saying in the report that there is no reason to continue issuing the waivers given that they allow Iran and Russia to cooperate on building up Iran's nuclear program.
The proposed bill focuses on Russia's investments in several Iranian nuclear sites, including in Tehran's Arak nuclear reactor as it undergoes redesign and modernization, the report said.
The legislation also targets Russian operations and training services at the Bushehr nuclear power plant and limits Moscow's role in transferring and storing nuclear byproducts that have the potential to power nuclear bombs, the report added.
The sanctions waivers are up for renewal again this month and it is unclear what course of action the Biden administration plans to take, according to the report.
