Trump open to congressional review of Iran deal as lawmakers seek details

President Donald Trump has signaled a willingness to have Congress review a recently negotiated agreement with Iran, as lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties seek details of the accord. The full terms of the deal, announced over the weekend, remain closely guarded.

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What I would like to do is send it to Congress and say, ‘You shouldn’t approve it.’ And they will approve it.

During a meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in France, Trump suggested he would not object to congressional scrutiny. "What I would like to do is send it to Congress and say, ‘You shouldn’t approve it.’ And they will approve it,” Trump said, appearing to make a joke about the process.

The agreement, reportedly signed electronically by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, is intended to resolve four months of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, the administration has not yet released the memorandum of understanding. This lack of transparency leaves lawmakers uncertain about Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and verification mechanisms.

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I don’t know enough about it to say” whether it is a good deal.

The secrecy has prompted calls for greater openness on Capitol Hill, where the contentious debate over the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is still remembered. Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that lawmakers lack sufficient information to evaluate the agreement. "I don’t know enough about it to say” whether it is a good deal, Thune told reporters, adding that key issues would be compliance and enforcement, as well as financial incentives for Iran.

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My understanding of what it entails, again, not having seen anything, I think the issues are going to be compliance and, ‘How you’re going to enforce that and what are the financial incentives the Iranians are going to have from our country?’

While Republicans generally welcomed the diplomatic development, many emphasized that their support depends on the final details. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, urged lawmakers to examine the agreement before endorsing it. "The MoU, I want to see it myself. The way Iran describes it is awful. The way we describe it makes sense to me. Let’s look at it and see what it actually is,” Graham said. He also noted that U.S. law requires congressional review and approval for any nuclear deal with Iran.

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The MoU, I want to see it myself. The way Iran describes it is awful. The way we describe it makes sense to me. Let’s look at it and see what it actually is.