Secretary of State John Kerry told a Senate committee Tuesday that the Obama administration is "obligated under the law" to earn congressional approval of any nuclear deal with Iran in order for congressionally-imposed economic sanctions to be lifted.
Kerry's comments suggest that the White House may have abandoned its effort, disclosed in January by the Free Beacon, to find ways to lift sanctions on Iran without the approval of Congress.
The exchange is available below:
SEN MENENDEZ: Does the administration intend to come back to the congress, if you have a final deal [with Iran], for ultimately lifting some of the [sanctions] elements that would be needed to be lifted under law?
JOHN KERRY: Well, of course. We'd be obligated to under the law. We would absolutely have to, and so clearly, what we do will have to pass muster with congress. We well understand that.