World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder on Friday called on the United Nations Security Council to postpone a vote on the nuclear agreement with Iran agreed last week.
Lauder declared: "Today, I am calling on members of the United Nations Security Council to postpone any vote on a resolution regarding the Iran agreement. I do this for the following reasons: While thoughtful people can disagree on the merits of the agreement in whole or part, there can be no disagreement that an agreement this complex and controversial requires thorough and thoughtful review. Passage of a resolution on Monday would completely undermine the review process this agreement is due.
"President Obama signed legislation giving the United States Congress 60 days to review the agreement, recognizing that the US Constitution requires checks and balances. Passage of a UN resolution within less than a week of the agreement’s signing makes a mockery of that principle, and effectively silences Congress’ voice in this matter.
"Moreover, the UN resolution itself goes well beyond the negotiated agreement – with respect to the lifting of sanctions, with respect to Iran’s acquisition of long-range missiles – and in other respects yet to be fully comprehended. Fast-tracking a vote on a matter so critical to the security of Israel, to America and the world, would be an enormous, irreversible mistake," said Lauder.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power distributed a draft resolution last Wednesday to members of the Security Council to implement the agreement on Iran's nuclear program. The text would terminate all seven UN resolutions that had been in effect since 2006 -- resolutions that put sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program -- upon receipt of the International Atomic Energy Agency report that Iran has complied. Those resolutions could be reinstated if Iran does not comply with the terms of the agreement. It also leaves in place, for a limited period, the arms and ballistic missiles embargo, for five and eight years, respectively.