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| Iran nuclear deal showdown nears end as US Senate vote looms – live updates | Iran nuclear deal showdown nears end as US Senate vote looms – live updates |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| 7.29pm BST19:29 | |
| Right now, New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez, an agreement opponent is speaking on the floor of the Senate to share his reservations about the deal. He warns that the deal changes American policy from preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons to containing it. | |
| Menendez is one of four Senate Democrats who are opposed to the Iran Deal. The others are Ben Cardin of Maryland, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Chuck Schumer of New York. | |
| 7.18pm BST19:18 | |
| In the final hours before the vote, supporters and opponents of the deal are making their closing arguments, both on Capitol Hill and in public. | |
| In an ad release Tuesday, the No Nukes for Iran Project, a pro-deal group led by former Democratic congressman Robert Wexler, unveiled an ad starring retired Israeli general Uzi Eilam. | |
| Eilam, who served under both Likud and Labor governments in Israel, says the deal is the best way to check Iran’s nuclear ambitions. As he says in the ad, “here is a reality check: there is no ideal Middle East, there is no ideal agreement with Iran, and this deal isn’t perfect. But if the United States Congress kills this multinational agreement, things will get worse, not better.” | |
| 6.54pm BST18:54 | 6.54pm BST18:54 |
| This afternoon, the Washington Post published an op-ed from three major European leaders, Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, President Francois Hollande of France and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, in support of the Iran Deal. | This afternoon, the Washington Post published an op-ed from three major European leaders, Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, President Francois Hollande of France and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, in support of the Iran Deal. |
| The three European leaders write: | The three European leaders write: |
| We fully support this agreement because it achieves the goals we had set ourselves. It deals with the uranium enrichment route to a bomb by requiring Iran to reduce by 98 percent its stockpile of enriched uranium; to lower by two-thirds the number of its centrifuges; to limit uranium enrichment levels; and to stop using the deep Fordow site for enrichment. It closes the plutonium route through changes to the Arak reactor so that it does not produce weapons-grade plutonium. And it ensures the IAEA enhanced access not only to Iran’s nuclear facilities and the entire nuclear fuel cycle but also, where needed, to any undeclared site. | We fully support this agreement because it achieves the goals we had set ourselves. It deals with the uranium enrichment route to a bomb by requiring Iran to reduce by 98 percent its stockpile of enriched uranium; to lower by two-thirds the number of its centrifuges; to limit uranium enrichment levels; and to stop using the deep Fordow site for enrichment. It closes the plutonium route through changes to the Arak reactor so that it does not produce weapons-grade plutonium. And it ensures the IAEA enhanced access not only to Iran’s nuclear facilities and the entire nuclear fuel cycle but also, where needed, to any undeclared site. |
| 6.13pm BST18:13 | 6.13pm BST18:13 |
| Months of drama over the Obama administration’s controversial nuclear deal with Iran may finally come to an end on Thursday after a vote in the US Senate. | Months of drama over the Obama administration’s controversial nuclear deal with Iran may finally come to an end on Thursday after a vote in the US Senate. |
| While a bipartisan majority of senators is opposed to the Iran deal, opponents of the nuclear pact do not have the 60-vote supermajority needed to end debate on a bill to formally disapprove of the international agreement. | While a bipartisan majority of senators is opposed to the Iran deal, opponents of the nuclear pact do not have the 60-vote supermajority needed to end debate on a bill to formally disapprove of the international agreement. |
| In plain English, this means the motion of disapproval of the bill will never even come to a vote – a victory for Barack Obama in his attempt to make the deal stick. | In plain English, this means the motion of disapproval of the bill will never even come to a vote – a victory for Barack Obama in his attempt to make the deal stick. |
| If the vote to disapprove of the deal fails today, this would serve to short-circuit any further attempts by congressional Republicans to thwart the agreement before the 60-day deadline for legislative review expires. | If the vote to disapprove of the deal fails today, this would serve to short-circuit any further attempts by congressional Republicans to thwart the agreement before the 60-day deadline for legislative review expires. |
| While the vote is largely for show, there is no viable path for opponents of the deal to pass legislation to stop the agreement by veto-proof majorities, so it will mark the end of the legislative fight over the agreement. (Some Republicans are insisting, however, that they will try to overturn the deal through the courts.) | While the vote is largely for show, there is no viable path for opponents of the deal to pass legislation to stop the agreement by veto-proof majorities, so it will mark the end of the legislative fight over the agreement. (Some Republicans are insisting, however, that they will try to overturn the deal through the courts.) |
| There is bipartisan consensus around the ultimate goal of the deal, which is to prevent the Iranian regime from developing a nuclear weapon. However, opponents of the agreement have long warned that it does not contain sufficient safeguards to accomplish its goal. | There is bipartisan consensus around the ultimate goal of the deal, which is to prevent the Iranian regime from developing a nuclear weapon. However, opponents of the agreement have long warned that it does not contain sufficient safeguards to accomplish its goal. |
| The July deal struck between Iran and six world powers provides Tehran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. | The July deal struck between Iran and six world powers provides Tehran relief from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. |
| A vote is expected at around 3.45pm ET (8.45pm BST). We’ll have live coverage of the vote and all congressional proceedings here. | A vote is expected at around 3.45pm ET (8.45pm BST). We’ll have live coverage of the vote and all congressional proceedings here. |
| Updated at 6.45pm BST | Updated at 6.45pm BST |