Photo by: Michael Vadon via Wikimedia Commons

US President Donald Trump’s call for Congress to reimpose sanctions against Iran was confronted with stark opposition from his fellow Republicans as well as Democrat lawmakers.

Following Trump’s decision to decertify the Iran nuclear agreement, Republican lawmakers Bob Corker and Tom Cotton proposed an overview of a possible legislation that they said would be able to address the flaws in the terms and conditions of the agreement. Once the legislation is enacted, the same would impose tougher restrictions on Iran. Likewise included in the proposed legislation is the revival of US sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear program should the latter be able to produce a nuclear weapon within one year.

“We have provided a route to overcome deficiencies in the agreement and to keep the administration in the deal, and actually make it the kind of deal that it should have been in the first place,” Corker said.

While the present composition of the Congress is dominated by GOP, the latter’s four-seat edge in the Upper House means any legislative proposal would still need enough support from the Democratic lawmakers before the same can pass legislative muster. Most Democratic lawmakers are known to have vehemently opposed the passage of such measure.

According to Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he would only back a legislative enactment that is likewise supported by its European allies who had signed the nuclear agreement.

“Anything we do must be consistent with the JCPOA, cannot lead us on a path to violate the JCPOA, and must have the support of our European allies,” Cardin said during an interview. The Democrat also called on the officials from the White House for full-blown committee hearings on the matter.

Meanwhile, Senator Marco Rubio, despite being a member of the GOP, also expressed serious doubts on the potential legislation contemplated by his colleagues, Corker and Cotton. He said that he would still have to wait for the final version of the proposal before he makes his decision. However, he alluded that it will be better if the president abandons the nuclear agreement.

“Ultimately, leaving the nuclear deal, reimposing suspended sanctions, and having the president impose additional sanctions would serve our national interest better than a decertified deal that leaves sanctions suspended or a new law that leaves major flaws in that agreement in place,” Rubio said.