A bill supported by 33 senators was reintroduced, on Thursday, which would require congressional approval for any Iran sanctions relief. 

The initiative dubbed “Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act” (ISRRA) is led by Senator Bill Hagery, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Banking Committees, and Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

“Supported so far by 33 senators, legislation comes amid growing concern the Biden Administration will use unwritten informal agreements to circumvent requirement for congressional review under U.S. law,” Senator Hagery’s website said. 

The proposed legislation would provide a “backstop” if the president “attempts to evade the legal requirements for congressional review” of any agreement related to Iran’s nuclear program.

“As Iran’s terror-sponsoring regime continues to pursue nuclear weapons to harm Americans and our regional partners and allies, it is critical to provide insurance if President Biden keeps trying to run around Congress and relieve sanctions on Iran,” said Senator Hagerty.

“As the Biden Administration contemplates another enormous cash windfall to the Iranian regime in exchange for dubious non-proliferation promises, it is vitally important that Congress has a voice in any sanctions relief,” said Senator Risch.

He added that Iran is supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and continues attacks on American troops and diplomats. 

The bill was first introduced in April 2021, when the Biden administration was close reviving the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that former president Donald Trump had withdrawn from in 2018. Recent reports about the indirect talks between Tehran and Washington mediated by Oman sparked concerns that an informal agreement could be reached despite repeated warnings from Israel about the threat of the Iranian nuclear developments.