President Obama wins Victory in Congress with Iran Deal

By April Kent

This past Thursday, Senate Democrats blocked a resolution that would have disapproved the Iran Deal, effectively ensuring that it will go into effect without a showdown between Congress and the President. The Iran deal has been offered as proof that economic sanctions can be used effectively to change the behavior of repressive regimes while avoiding military action. But the question of what to do next remains a challenge. The United States agreed to lift many of the sanctions that have blocked Iran’s integration into the world economy. However, President Obama promised to maintain sanctions to punish Iran for terrorism and human rights abuses. One expert explains: “There is a tension between ensuring that Iran has an economic incentive to keep the agreement with its nuclear constraints and ensuring companies keep doing business with Iran, while at the same time policing Iran’s support for terrorism with sanctions.”