November 13, 2013 | Quote
Obama Seeks Time From Congress for Iran Diplomacy
The Obama administration is pleading with Congress to allow more time for diplomacy with Iran, but faces sharp resistance from Republican and Democratic lawmakers determined to further squeeze the Iranian economy and wary of yielding any ground in nuclear negotiations.
Back from a week of nuclear talks in Geneva and tense consultations with nervous Middle East allies, Secretary of State John Kerry was to join Vice President Joe Biden in presenting the administration's case to their ex-colleagues in the Senate on Wednesday and ask them to hold off on a package of new, tougher Iran sanctions under consideration.
A House committee, meanwhile, held a hearing to vent its frustration with Kerry and an Obama administration they believe should adopt a far tougher line with Tehran.
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Testifying at the House hearing, Mark Dubowitz, an Iran sanctions expert with the hawkish Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said the U.S. offer on the table in Geneva could have provided Iran at least $20 billion in recovered assets. Royce put the total at $50 billion; former Pentagon official Colin Kahl said it was about $6 billion.