U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee and one of the most prominent Jewish members of Congress, said on Friday that he would oppose President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, The New York Times wrote on Friday.
Sen. Cardin’s closely watched decision did not jeopardize the implementation of the nuclear accord, but it did raise the likelihood that the U.S. president would have to veto a resolution disapproving it this month — a diplomatic embarrassment the White House is hoping to avoid.
Sen. Cardin, whose strong advocacy on humanitarian issues and more than two decades of service on the U.S. Helsinki Commission have made him a voice of moral authority on Capitol Hill, said he would push for legislation to put strict controls on how the accord is implemented, including a sharp response to violations.
“I recognize the numbers, believe me I do,” Sen. Cardin said in an interview on Friday with The New York Times, sounding genuinely anguished about opposing Mr. Obama, whom he normally supports.
“It was a close call and I acknowledge it was a close call,” Sen. Cardin said. On the agreement, he said, “It allows Iran a legal path to have such a sophisticated enrichment program and so close to break out, with the additional financial resources after sanction relief has been granted.”
He added, “Iran is going to do whatever it needs to do to get around this agreement.”
Sen. Cardin said that the legislation he would pursue would focus on authorizing the administration to use all options in responding to violations of the agreement by the regime in Iran, as well as to any support by Tehran of terrorist activities.
