Rep. Ed Royce (R – Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the side deal between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran in a statement released yesterday. The deal authorizes Iran, rather than the IAEA, to collect evidence from its suspected nuclear research site at the Parchin military base.
It is too bad we have to rely on news services instead of the Administration to provide Congress with key text agreed to between Iran and the IAEA. Congress has been asking for this secret deal for weeks. The agreement looks like Iran calls the shots, vetoing technical inspections when they want, where they want at the Parchin military site. The Obama Administration has confidence in this? This side deal today will help define and undermine the overall agreement’s verification provisions tomorrow. Everyone who signed this deal has worked to hide the side agreement. We are starting to see why.
Key provisions of the side deal, formally known as Special Arrangement II, allow Iran to collect the environmental samples, photographs, and videos that the IAEA will inspect. Notably, the evidence will only be taken from locations that Iran agrees may be inspected.
Royce discussed the implications of the side deal with Fox News yesterday. A video of the interview is embedded below.
Five Democrats who serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee – Representatives Grace Meng (D – N.Y.), Albio Sires (D – N.J.), Ted Deutch (D – Fla.), Brad Sherman (D – Calif.) and Eliot Engel (D – N.Y.) – have announced their intention to vote against the deal. Engel is the ranking member of the committee.