Lindsey Graham says ‘we would like a political negotiation, a diplomatic solution’ but White House adviser rules out congressional approval of any deal

As Iran and major powers met on Sunday to take stock of their differences over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, a leading Republican critic of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy continued his push for new sanctions, unswayed by a White House veto threat and lobbying by the British prime minister.

The Geneva negotiations were the culmination of five days of talks, including lengthy meetings between Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Helga Schmid, European Union political director, chaired the closed-door talks at the EU diplomatic mission in Geneva, attended by officials from Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US.

Later, China’s envoy said the next round of negotiations were set for early February, but the venue had not been decided. The meeting in Geneva ended with what diplomats said was “limited” progress.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, meanwhile, did say that he would be willing to set aside his efforts for new sanctions against Iran if Obama would submit any agreement with Tehran to Congress for lawmakers to approve or reject.



An Obama adviser scoffed at the idea as an infringement on presidential authority.

The new GOP-led Congress has picked an early foreign policy fight with the president, with the Senate banking, housing and urban affairs committee holding a hearing on Tuesday on possible new penalties against Tehran.

Obama and Cameron warn Congress over Iran sanctions vote Read more

The US and its partners in the negotiations are trying to reach a framework agreement with Iran by March and hoping to complete a longer-term deal by July that would limit Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon. Iran says its programme is for peaceful purposes.

Kerry has stepped up talks with Zarif, and they may hold further discussions this week when both are expected to attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

Graham described congressional efforts as signaling to the Iranians that “we would like a political negotiation, a diplomatic solution. But please understand in Iran that the Congress is intent on reapplying sanctions if you walk away from the negotiating table and if you cheat,” Graham said.

“I don’t think that’s a disruptive message.”

As an alternative, he said that if Obama “thinks sanctions is disruptive to a good outcome, I’m willing to forgo that vote with the understanding that any deal he negotiates will come to the Congress for our approval or disapproval as a check and balance”.

White House adviser Dan Pfeiffer contended that Graham “would like to make all the foreign policy decisions of the United States and be commander in chief … It’s the president’s authority.”

Pfeiffer added: “It does not make any sense for Congress to scuttle that deal … because that would put America in a bad place, not just in dealing with Iran but with the world.”

The White House will continue to consult with Congress, he said.

Obama said at a news conference Friday that imposing new sanctions probably would doom the nuclear negotiations and heighten prospects of a military showdown. “Just hold your fire,” the president pleaded to Congress, while also issuing the veto threat.

British prime minister David Cameron, who was visiting Washington, said he was calling senators to convey the message that new penalties would hurt international unity.

In Geneva on Sunday, a diplomat told Reuters: “Today is to take stock of where all the various meetings take us and how can we take this forward in a broad format.”

China’s envoy Wang Qun told reporters: “Time is running short and it’s the hope of Beijing that all parties will seize that historical opportunity by racing against the time and by doing two things: first is to adopt a pragmatic and a flexible approach with wisdom and secondly is to demonstrate with possible and maximum political will, with resolute political decisions.”

Negotiators failed in November to meet a self-imposed deadline for clinching an elusive agreement seen as crucial to reducing the risk of a wider Middle East war. The new deadline for a final deal is 30 June.