US poll: Majority support deal with Iran, oppose attack
New CNN poll reveals majority of Americans support an interim deal with Iran in which Tehran would downsize its nuclear program in return for sanction reduction, oppose attack on Iran. Meanwhile, senators slam Obama over Iran, promise new sanctions
The newest of such polls is a survey conducted by CNN published Thursday, according to which some 56% of Americans support an interim agreement in which sanctions on Iran would be reduced in return for a partial renunciation of its disputed nuclear program.
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According to the same poll, US President Barack Obama's popularity dropped to 41%, with a record 56% of respondents expressing disappointment of his administration. The negative trend was representative of recent polls, according to which Obama's popularity is plummeting in wake of a perceived string of failures.
Several Democrat and Republican senators have voiced displeasure with the parameters of a potential agreement, arguing that the US and its partners are offering too much for Iranian action that stops short of a full freeze on uranium enrichment.
On Thursday, the Republicans' top member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee proposed a bill mapping out what a final agreement should look like and seeking to restrict Obama's capacity to offer sanctions relief.
"Many of us have concerns that an interim agreement in Geneva will diminish US leverage without Iran meeting its existing international obligations," Sen. Bob Corker said.
The legislation gives Obama 240 days to conclude the deal and says he can only suspend restrictions on Iran if he certifies that such action advances US national security interests and that Iran is fully complying with existing agreements. It says any final agreement must compel Iran to end all uranium enrichment activity, a condition the Islamic republic has steadfastly rejected and one which US negotiators have long conceded.
Thursday a group of 14 Democratic and Republican US senators said they would work together on legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran over the coming weeks, and work to pass it as quickly as possible.
"A nuclear weapons capable Iran presents a grave threat to the national security of the United States and its allies and we are committed to preventing Iran from acquiring this capability," they said.
Among the senior lawmakers issuing the statement were Democrats Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Charles Schumer, the November 3 Democrat in the Senate, as well as Republican Senators Bob Corker, the top Republican on the foreign relations panel and John McCain, a member of the Foreign Relations and Senate Armed Services committees.
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