Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Sen. Joe Manchin as they arrive on Capitol Hill before a classified meeting with members of the Senate Banking Committee on Nov. 13.
Republican Senators say their closed-door briefing with US Secretary of State John Kerry was �œanti-Israeli” because Kerry asked them not to listen to everything Israelis tell them.
On Wednesday, Kerry held a classified meeting with the Senate Banking Committee in an effort to convince them that any new sanctions against Iran would be viewed as �œbad faith” and can �œdestroy the ability to” reach an agreement over Tehran�™s nuclear energy program.
However, according to Foreign Policy�™s The Cable, Republican members of the committee stormed out of the closed-door briefing in opposition to the White House�™s message.
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) even described the briefing as �œanti-Israeli,” saying �œI was supposed to disbelieve everything the Israelis had just told me.”
The Republican Minority Leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, also called for �œratcheting up the sanctions against Iran.”
�œWhat the administration was promoting is something the Israelis think is a bad deal for them. It’s pretty clear the Sunni Arab allies of ours also think it’s a bad deal. Looking at it strictly from an American point of view, I think it’s a bad deal as well,” McConnell said.
Meanwhile, in response to The Cable�™s question asking him if the briefing was �œhelpful,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) said, �œYes. Very helpful.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) also described Kerry�™s arguments as very convincing.
�œI support Secretary Kerry’s explanation of what direction and what needs to be done here and I support his intentions,” he said.
The Senate Banking Committee is currently looking at a new anti-Iran sanctions bill passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives in July. The House bill seeks to cut Iran�™s oil exports by one million barrels a day for the next year and includes threats of military force against Iran.
After the classified briefing with Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Sen. Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota), said he has yet to decide on when to go ahead with the consideration of the new anti-Iran sanctions legislation.
If the Senate Banking Committee decides to go ahead with the mark-up, the bill will move one step closer to a full Senate vote.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney described any new sanctions against Iran as a �œmarch to war,” saying �œthe American people do not want a march to war.”
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Source: Press TV