A former US senator and presidential candidate tells Press TV that the new Senate sanctions bill against Iran is an Israeli-orchestrated scenario aimed at overshadowing White Houses diplomatic position vis--vis Tehrans nuclear deal.It is Israel [Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu exercising his power in the Senate versus the power of [the US President Barack] Obama. Obama would like to have a clear field to pursue a diplomatic approach, said Mike Gravel in a Friday interview.
It is Israel pushing as hard as it can with the support of Saudi Arabia to get the United States involved in a war with Iran, he noted, adding, It is to sabotage the diplomatic efforts being made by the Obama administration.
Gravel stated that most of the senators who introduced this very, very unhelpful piece of legislation are probably running for re-election and need the sponsorship of the Israeli lobby.
On Thursday, a group of Democrat and Republican senators introduced new legislation to impose further sanctions against Iran if Tehran breaches the terms of the nuclear deal reached last month in Geneva.
The Senate bill also calls for "diplomatic, military and economic support" to Israel in case Tel Aviv decides to launch an attack against Irans nuclear energy program.
The bill came despite an interim deal which was signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain -- plus Germany in Geneva on November 24 to pave the way for the full resolution of the Wests decade-old dispute with Iran over the countrys nuclear energy program.
Under the Geneva deal, the six countries have undertaken to lift some of the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no more sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.
The White House announced later on Thursday that US President Barack Obama would veto any new Senate sanction bill, as it is in breach of the provisions of the Geneva nuclear deal.
By Press TV
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