Congress must stop Team Biden from giving Russia a financial lifeline in Iran deal

"Washington appears determined to undermine its own economic-sanctions campaign against Russian President Vladimir Putin for his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine — and aid a second dictatorship in the process.

The State Department confirmed Tuesday that the Biden administration would “not sanction Russian participation in nuclear projects that are part of resuming full implementation” of a new deal with Iran. In effect, Washington is guaranteeing Moscow a multibillion-dollar payout. Congress should stop President Joe Biden from throwing Putin this financial lifeline while he maims and kills innocent civilians.

Team Biden has been negotiating the revival of a weaker, shorter version of the Iran agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, since last year. It’s allowed Russia an outsized role in the talks, with the country’s head delegate, Amb. Mikhail Ulyanov, providing frequent public updates. In one instance, Ulyanov praised Tehran’s negotiating style, candidly stating, “Iran got much more than it could expect.”

Last week, however, Moscow suddenly halted negotiations and demanded guarantees from the Biden administration that the West’s Ukraine sanctions wouldn’t lead Washington to penalize “civil nuclear cooperation” in Iran that the deal’s terms allow Russia to undertake." NYP