Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal survives in the Senate

WASHINGTON — Congressional efforts to block President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran fizzled Thursday, as 42 Senate Democrats voted to uphold the controversial nuclear accord.

 

“This vote is a victory for diplomacy, for American national security and for the safety and security of the world,” Obama said in a statement.

 

Beginning next week, Obama will be free to start scaling back U.S. sanctions to implement the agreement negotiated by Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers. The accord aims to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for hundreds of billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions.

 

A disapproval resolution for the agreement fell two votes short of the 60 needed to move forward, leaving Republicans complaining that Democrats had resorted to a filibuster to free Obama from using a veto.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) who opposed the bill, taunted Democrats, saying the White House pushed them into taking a damaging vote to protect the President from issuing a veto, even though opponents lacked the votes to override it.

 

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