President of Iran Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the passage of a measure giving congressional lawmakers the ability to review a pending nuclear agreement should not interfere with his ultimate goal of signing a deal with the U.S. and other world powers in the coming months.
“What the U.S. Senate, Congress and others say is not our problem. We want mutual respect… We are in talks with the major powers and not with the Congress,” Rouhani said during speech in the northern Iranian city of Rasht. What the Iranian people and its government want, he added, is an to end international isolation by having “constructive interaction with the world and not confrontation.”
He did, however, reassert his country’s position that sanctions relief remains key to the deal.
“If there is no end to sanctions, there will not be an agreement,” Rouhani said. “The end of these negotiations and a signed deal must include a declaration of cancelling the oppressive sanctions on the great nation of Iran.”
The bill will now head to the full Senate floor for a vote. Given the lifting of White House opposition, it is nearly certain to pass. The House is now working on passing a similar bill. President Obama has said—barring no significant changes are made or troubling amendments re-inserted—he will sign the measure if it reaches his desk.
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT