On Thursday, New York Congressman Lee Zeldin sent a letter signed by 45 other members of Congress to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson requesting answers to questions regarding the Iran nuclear deal. Among the handful of questions asked were ones pertaining to secret “side deals” and unpublicized agreements between the former Obama administration and Iran in the making of JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, more commonly known as the Iran Deal.)
“Have you learned of any agreements or “side deals” related to the JCPOA that have not yet been disclosed to Congress? If so, what are they?” the first question reads.
In 2016, it was revealed that the P5+1, which refers to the U.N. Security Council’s five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus Germany; agreed to secret “side deals” that allowed Iran to have a pass on some components of the deal because they had not been able to meet certain deadlines in time to get relief from some economic sanctions. Though Iran had exceeded the 300 kilogram limit on low-enriched uranium by the imposed deadline, the sanctions were still lifted. These deals had not initially been made public to Congress under the Obama administration and they found out through other means.
Another question asked if Tillerson had “learned of any statements to Congress or the American public by the last Administration regarding the JCPOA that were affirmatively false or misleading?”
Zeldin and the other members of Congress who signed the letter also asked if the new Secretary of State if he knew of any agreements between the U.S. and Iran that were made after the JCPOA.
“Have you learned of any agreements between the United States and Iran that were made after the JCPOA was announced that have not been disclosed to Congress or the American people? If so, what are they?” they ask.
The other 45 members of Congress to sign onto the letter were:
Rep. Trent Franks (R, AZ-2)
Rep. John Faso (R, NY-19)
Rep. Ann Wagner (R, MO-2)
Rep. Evan Jenkins (R, WV-3)
Rep. Jim Banks (R, IN-3)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-8)
Rep. Walter Jones (R, NC-3)
Rep. Jackie Walorski (R, IN-3)
Rep. Ron Desantis (R, FL-6)
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R, CO-5)
Rep. Rodney Davis (R, Il-13)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R, NJ-2)
Rep. Dennis Ross (R, FL-15)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R, TX-1)
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R, CA-48)
Rep. Lamar Smith (R, TX-21)
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R, NY-22)
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R, IL-16)
Rep. Brian Mast (R, FL-18)
Rep. Kevin Yoder (R, KS-3)
Rep. Mia Love (R, UT-4)
Rep. Peter King (R, NY-2)
Rep. Martha McSally (R, AZ-2)
Rep. David Rouzer (R, NC-7)
Rep. Andy Barr (R, KY-6)
Rep. Ted Yoho (R, FL-3)
Rep. Pete Sessions (R, TX-32)
Rep. French Hill (R, AK-2)
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R, FL-26)
Rep. Dan Donovan (R, NY-11)
Rep. Steve Knight (R, CA-25)
Rep. Austin Scott (R, GA-13)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R, TX-5)
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R, WI-6)
Rep. Tom Emmer (R, MN-6)
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21)
Rep. Lou Barletta (R, PA-11)
Rep. Mimi Walters (R, CA-45)
Rep. Dave Brat (R, VA-7)
Rep. David Kustoff (R, TN-8)
Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-6)
Rep. Paul Cook (R, CA-8)
Rep. Peter Roskam (R, Il-6)
Rep. Susan Brooks (R, IN-5)
Rep. Leonard Lance (R, NJ-7)
[revad2]
