Debbie Wasserman Schultz, leader of Democratic National Committee and Florida’s first Jewish congresswoman, says decision was her hardest yet

The Iran nuclear deal has gained the backing of both a top Democrat and George W Bush’s secretary of state, in what is shaping up to be a major victory for Barack Obama.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the first Jewish congresswoman to represent Florida, announced her support for the deal in what she said was her most difficult decision in more than two decades in public office.

Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state between 2001 and 2005, hailed “remarkable changes” agreed to by Iranian leaders while downplaying skepticism over whether the accord could be implemented.

“It’s a pretty good deal,” Powell said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “These are remarkable changes, and so we have stopped this highway race that they were going down – and I think that’s very, very important.”

Obama secures Iran victory as 34th senator endorses nuclear deal Read more

While critics of the deal insist Iran cannot be trusted to comply with the terms of the deal, Powell expressed his confidence in the process agreed upon by Tehran and six world powers in July.

“I think a very vigorous verification regime has been put into place,” Powell said. “I say, we have a deal, let’s see how they implement the deal. If they don’t implement it, bail out. None of our options are gone.”

Wasserman Schultz came out in favor of the deal in an op-ed published on Sunday in the Miami Herald.

“This agreement is not perfect,” she wrote. “But I join many in the belief that with complex, multilateral, nuclear non-proliferation negotiations with inherent geopolitical implications for the entire world, there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ deal.”

Obama had already secured enough support from Democrats in the US Senate to sustain his veto against Republican efforts to block the accord. But Wasserman Schultz’s endorsement added further momentum to the deal’s prospects in the House of Representatives, where minority leader Nancy Pelosi has said Democrats will protect the president’s veto power if necessary.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the decision was the hardest in her political career. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP

Wasserman Schultz was under immense pressure to oppose the deal in Florida, which is home to the third-largest Jewish population in the US. But she is also a top party official, as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, and rarely breaks with Obama on the administration’s top priorities.

During an appearance Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Wasserman Schultz also disputed an Associated Press report last month that suggested Iran would have the ability to self-inspect a military installation at Parchin.

If true, Wasserman Schultz said, the report would have guaranteed her opposition to the deal. She recalled presenting the report to officials at a classified briefing at the White House while demanding an explanation.

“I was given probably the most thorough review that almost any member had access to as far as what the actual process is for Iran to reveal their previous military dimensions at Parchin,” Wasserman Schultz said.

“And I can say in no uncertain terms, without revealing the details, that they cannot self-inspect.”

Congress is expected to vote on a resolution of disapproval when lawmakers return to Washington this week. Obama had made clear he would veto any attempt to prevent the deal going forward; a two-thirds majority would be needed in both chambers to override the president’s authority.

Powell pointed out that if the US walked away from the deal now, it would do so at its own peril.

“Even if we were to kill the deal – which is not going to happen – it’s going to take effect anyway, because all of these other countries that were in it with us are going to move forward,” he said.

“They’re all going to be moving forward – we’re going to be sitting on the sidelines.”