WASHINGTON
The nuclear deal between Iran and the U.S. and five other world powers was presented to Congress on Sunday, the State Department said.
The submission of the agreement - that allows for inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities in exchange for the dropping of international sanctions - initiates a 60-day review by U.S. lawmakers on Monday.
There is strong Republican opposition to the plan in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
President Barack Obama, for who the deal would provide a major foreign policy coup, has said he will exercise his veto if Congress rejects the proposal. Overriding his veto would require a two-thirds majority in both houses.
In an interview on CNN, Secretary of State John Kerry said the agreement was important for Middle East peace. "The fact is that the real fear of that region should be that you don't have the deal,” he said. “If Congress doesn't pass this, if Congress were to kill this, then we have no inspections, we have no sanctions, we have no ability to negotiate."
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed on July 14 by Iran, China, France, Russia, Britain, the U.S. and Germany after nearly two years of negotiations.
The scheme is strongly opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has said it will allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons while lifting sanctions will provide money for Iran to fund terrorism.
