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Source: http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-us-iran-20131005,0,79020.story
Iran Nuclear Talks: Congress Is the Elephant at the Negotiating Table
(Los Angeles Times) Paul Richter - Without congressional backing, Obama's diplomatic options are limited. Since only Congress can permanently lift the bruising sanctions it has imposed on Iran, lawmakers can torpedo any deal if they believe the White House is giving too much to Iran. While Obama can temporarily suspend sanctions imposed by law, he would most likely need to convince Congress that Iran has complied fully with tough U.S. legal requirements before lawmakers would permanently lift sanctions. The long reach of U.S. sanctions law means the White House "really has to treat Congress as a full partner on this issue," said Mark Dubowitz, a sanctions specialist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Administration officials say they will require real concessions from Iran before easing the sanctions that have forced Iran to negotiate.