NBC News "Meet the Press" - Transcript: Iran Nuclear Deal and Sanctions
Interview
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CHUCK TODD:
By the way, that distracting background noise is courtesy of Vice. That's how they decided to release the clip. We tried our best to try to tone it down, there wasn't much we could do. Anyway, for more on Iran, I'm joined by Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, he's chair of the Republican National Senatorial Committee, member of the leadership. He signed that letter.
And Democrat Tim Kaine, a Virginia member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, who have actually been critical of a lot of the signers, but very skeptical of any deal that could get cut with Iran on the nuclear front. Senators Kaine and Wicker, welcome back to Meet the Press for both of you. Senator Wicker, let me just start with you. This morning, I know some senators have regretted some parts of the letter. Do you have any regrets on signing the letter, on who it was addressed to, and how this controversy bubbled up this week?
SEN. ROGER WICKER:
No, I don't have any regrets at all. I stand by the letter. And I think it's interesting that we've had so much talk about process just like we had talk about process with Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech, rather than dealing with the substance.
And I was struck by what I think I heard Admiral Mullen say. He said he fears Iran more than he fears the Islamic State. And he has reason to say that. This is the country that we're negotiating with on this agreement, they are the chief exporter of terrorism around in that region.
The president's own Northern Command admiral just last week said they are not abiding by the international inspection regime and they're developing new intercontinental ballistic missiles. So I think the substance should be that this is a country that we're negotiating with that frankly our president and our secretary of State feel pretty comfortable with. And I don't have much confidence that any agreement that they make they will abide by.
CHUCK TODD:
Well let me ask you this. If there is no agreement, the sanctions are going to go away from all the other countries except the United States. Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, it's likely they all walk away from these sanctions. So it seems as if this is a box.
SEN. ROGER WICKER:
Well, I don't know that they've said that. If that's their announced position, then indeed, they are negotiating with one hand tied behind their back. To me, everything should be on the table. That's always been our position as the United States when you're dealing with an adversary.
And if in fact our negotiating partners and members of the other negotiating team, some of whom are closer to us than others. If they're in fact saying, "Regardless of how this comes out, we're out of the sanction regime," then to me, that's not the way to get a strong deal for the West.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator Kaine, let me go to you here, because there's a letter this morning from the White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on behalf of the White House, it's addressed to Senator Corker, and it has to do with potential legislation that you are also a cosponsor to, that has to do with Congress's role in approving a nuclear deal.
Here's what Denis McDonough writes: "We believe that the legislation would likely have a profoundly negative impact on the ongoing negotiations, emboldening Iranian hardliners, moreover, if Congressional action is perceived as preventing us from reaching a deal, it will create divisions within the international community, putting at risk the very international cooperation that has been essential to our ability to pressure Iran." What do you say to the president who clearly doesn't like this legislation that you too are a cosponsor of?
SEN. TIM KAINE:
Chuck, I'm a proud cosponsor to the legislation. And look, the White House is frustrated with Congress because Congress has taken action in the last few weeks, showing an unacceptable level of contempt for the office of the president. However, let's be realistic here. The deal that is being negotiated with Iran is about what will Iran do to get out from other congressional sanctions.
And so it is unrealistic to think that Congress is not going to be involved in looking at a final deal. I am a pro-diplomacy senator. And I supported the negotiations to this point. But any deal that touches upon the congressional statutory sanctions is going to get a review of Congress. And the only question is, are you going to have a constructive, deliberate, bipartisan process, or are you going to be rushed and partisan? We've seen the wrong way to go back it last week. I hope we will approach it in the careful and deliberative bipartisan way.
CHUCK TODD:
Well, it's clear the White House is afraid you guys may start voting on this legislation as early as March 24th, later this month, before the end of the month. It sounds like the White House is hoping you wait until if there's a framework announced in the next ten days, then the final deal that you guys don't touch, start talking about this until June. Are you willing to wait that long before you and Senator Corker decide to enact this bill?
SEN. TIM KAINE:
You know, Chuck, there's no reason to wait till June on our bill. All our bill does is sets up the process under which Congress reviews a deal. And here's what it does. If the White House gives sanctions relief under executive sanctions, they have complete authority to do that without Congress.
If they want to give international sanctions relief and can convince partners to do that, they can do that without Congress. Only when they touch the congressional sanctions must Congress get involved. And we have a 60-day period either to approve the congressional sanctions relief, to disapprove it, or take no action and no action is defined as approval.
This is a very bipartisan and deliberative approach to looking at something that is fundamentally about our nation's security interest. And if they're going to unwind congressional sanctions, Congress has got to be involved.
CHUCK TODD:
Very quickly, will you have a problem if they go to the UN first, Senator Kaine, and get this deal ratified there before coming to Congress?
SEN. TIM KAINE:
Chuck, if they go to the UN about international sanction, they have the complete ability to do that. Sanctions that the White House has entered into without Congress, they have the ability to take action about without Congress. But when they touch upon congressional sanctions, Congress is going to be involved. And the only answer is what is a process that is bipartisan and deliberative and constructive.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator Wicker, if they go to the UN first, is that a mistake?
SEN. ROGER WICKER:
Well, the UN has the right to deal with UN sanctions. But here's the thing to understand about this letter, and I would think Tim would be frustrated by that letter. What they said this morning in the new letter is not only if we get a preliminary deal must Congress not pass legislation, but they're telling Tim Kaine and Bob Corker, the people that have negotiated with six Republicans and six Democrats, "You can't pass legislation until I, the president, get a final deal negotiated in June. And only then will a coequal branch of the United States government be allowed to weigh in." I would think that Senator Kaine would be frustrated by that.
CHUCK TODD:
Well, I'm going to leave it there. Senator Kaine, Senator Wicker, thank you both for coming on this morning.
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