US Senate to Press IAEA for Testimony on Iran Nuclear ‘Side Deals’

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will press the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to testify on the confidential verification deals, or “side deals,” the agency struck with Iran concerning the country’s nuclear program, Committee Chairman Bob Corker stated on Thursday.

“I don’t know how we can make a decision [on the Iran nuclear agreement] without that,” Corker said. “I would encourage more pressure to be put on the IAEA to come before us to explain that.”

Corker further announced that he and ranking member Ben Cardin are drafting a letter requesting testimony from the IAEA.

Following the July 14, 2015 signing of the nuclear agreement by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries comprised of the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany, Iran and the IAEA also reached a set of side agreements related to the inspection regime.

According to the IAEA, the side agreements are intended to create a roadmap for clarifying previous military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.

Senator Cardin noted that from the outset of the congressional review period for the agreement, the Foreign Relations Committee intended to “get direct communications with the IAEA.”

Cardin explained there are two confidential documents that Congress has requested from the IAEA, which the Committee believes are critical to the review process.

In May 2015, the US passed a law permitting congressional review of any finalized nuclear agreement involving Iran and the United States. The Congress was given a 60 day review period prior to a vote on the nuclear agreement which is scheduled for September 2015.