The New York Times reported that the Trump administration has supported new
sanctions against Iran, which were approved 18 to 3 by the committee and could
receive a full Senate vote as early as next month.
The measure is claimed to be punishing Iran over its ballistic missile program,
alleged support for terrorism and human rights violations.
Iran says its missile program is not banned under the Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action as its missiles are defensive and not designed to carry nuclear
warheads.
In a series of Twitter messages, former Secretary of State John Kerry urged the
U.S. senators not to move ahead with legislation saying "this is not the moment
for a new Iran bill”.
"This is a time to tread carefully,” Kerry advised the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
"We need to consider the implications of confrontation without conversation,” he
tweeted.
In 2015, Iran and the 5+1 group (the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia and
Germany) finalized the text of the JCPOA. The nuclear agreement took effect in
January 2016.