150 House Democrats Support Return to Iran Nuclear Deal

Support for JCPOA in the House is a good sign for the deal's future

At least 150 House Democrats signed onto a letter supporting Joe Biden’s plan to work with Iran to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, The Hill reported on Thursday.

The letter reads: “We are united in our support for swiftly taking the necessary diplomatic steps to restore constraints on Iran’s nuclear program and return both Iran and the United States to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as a starting point for further negotiations.”

The letter first began circulating in the House earlier this month. The effort was led by Reps Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and David Price (D-SC).

Such strong support from House Democrats is a good sign for the future of the JCPOA. Biden has said he plans to return to the JCPOA but will face a lot of pressure from opponents of the deal, including Israel, the Gulf states, and Republicans in Congress.

Some Republican Senators have signaled that they will attempt to block Biden’s efforts to revive the JCPOA through legislation. But with 150 House Democrats in favor of the deal, any bill aimed at sabotaging the JCPOA would not have a veto-proof majority in the House.

Iranian leaders have made it clear that they are willing to immediately return to the JCPOA if the Biden administration lifts sanctions.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.