Thirty-two American NGOs stepped up to the plate in a March 3 letter to President Joe Biden.

Fearing an escalation of military tensions involving their country in the Middle East, they urge the new American administration to sign a new Iran nuclear agreement as soon as possible. 

According to these pacifist NGOs, the more time passes, the more complicated the return to understanding with Iran within an agreement will be: "The longer the elements of 'maximum pressure' [policy of pressure on Iran established by Donald Trump] will remain in force, the more they will continue to embolden the partisans of the hard line and to make the American-Iranian diplomacy difficult ".

The signatories of the letter decided to react after the US strikes of February 25 against a pro-Iranian militia in Syria.

A strong signal sent to Tehran by the Biden administration, in response to recent rocket attacks against US interests in Iraq.

Believing that this is a "military escalation" between the parties, the group of NGOs is concerned and underlines "the urgency of a new line of conduct" to adopt vis-à-vis the 'Iran.

A concern shared by elected Democrats who criticized this decision, accusing the American president of having ordered these raids in Syria without the authorization of Congress.

Since Joe Biden came to power, the United States and Iran have measured each other.

Anxious not to appear too weak in the face of the sworn enemy, the two countries are raising the stakes, at the risk of postponing the rescue of the Iranian nuclear agreement, however promised by Joe Biden.

Thus, after allowing Washington to wait ten days, Tehran finally rejected, on February 28, an offer of direct dialogue made by the United States.

Iranian authorities have said they do not consider the "right time".

In question, the American strikes last week in Syria.

Catholic organizations challenge Joe Biden

Other actors in American civil society have expressed concern in recent days about the effects of the Biden administration's foreign policy.

In a letter, dated February 25, 26 American Catholic organizations, this time, called on the American head of state to take action to get the United States to join the Iran nuclear deal.

They suggested that Washington lift economic sanctions against the government in Tehran in an effort to bring the country's leaders back to the negotiating table as proof of "good faith."

The letter also states that "diplomacy is the only proven avenue to address" concerns about Iran's ballistic missile program. "

President under pressure from Republicans

At the White House for a month, Joe Biden says he wants to return to the agreement "if" Iran also comes back in the nails.

But the Democrat seems to want at all costs to avoid a trial in weakness or naivety.

Also, the US sanctions against Tehran reinstated by former US President Donald Trump in 2018, after withdrawing the country from the Iran nuclear deal, are still in place.

"This is one of your most important campaign promises," the pacifist NGOs recalled in their letter.

"A promise that you have shared with all the other main Democratic candidates in the primary elections and which is an important sign proving that you are ready to move away from an American foreign policy of unilateralism, belligerent and reckless, of Donald Trump" , they insist.

So far, the Biden administration has only made symbolic gestures.

But does the US president have a free hand to act as quickly as he wants?

Pressed to lift the sanctions on his left, by NGOs and part of the Democrats, Joe Biden, must also reckon with the pressure of several Republican leaders in the Senate.

The latter also sent their letter to the new president, this time calling for a warning against any financial concessions before talks with the Iranians.

The debate on lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran may well keep US parliamentarians busy in the months to come.

Since 2015, the US Congress has passed a law - the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act or INARA - authorizing it to have oversight rights over any "agreement related to Iran's nuclear program".

However, Congress would need a two-thirds vote in both chambers to override a presidential decision on the matter.

And given the current composition of the two parliaments, this remains unlikely.

The only problem, once the debate is launched on Capitol Hill, it will undoubtedly have an impact on the maneuver of Joe Biden anxious not to pass for a tender vis-à-vis the historic Iranian enemy.

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