According to a report carried by the Hill on Sunday, the US Senate is heading to renew a net of sanctions against Tehran in an attempt to target the recent nuclear deal reached between Iran and six world powers.
The sanctions law, known as the Iran Sanctions Act, includes provisions targeting Iran’s nuclear program, as well as ballistic missiles and the country's energy sector.
“I think it’s likely that Congress will act on it sometime next year,” Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said before lawmakers left for the holiday recess.
He said senators suggested during a December briefing that they were looking at an extension as early as January or February, trying to get Stephen Mull, Obama’s point person on the deal, to weigh in on the potential timeline.
Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) said earlier this month during a Foreign Relations hearing that "in January many members of Congress will call for the swift renewal" of the sanctions law.
The report added that that the timing of the renewal of the sanctions law could coincide with the nuclear deal’s “implementation day,” potentially putting the Obama administration in the awkward position of trying to lift sanctions against Iran just as lawmakers try to extend them.
The nuclear deal, also known as JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), is going to terminate all nuclear-related sanctions against Tehran after coming into force.