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White House's Iran Deal Lobbying Paying Off?

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After weeks of intense lobbying, the White House appears closer to getting the congressional votes it needs to approve the controversial nuclear deal with Iran.

With Congress set to vote on the deal next month, both sides are making last-minute pitches for and against the agreement.

Nearly 200 retired U.S. generals and admirals from every branch of service have written to Congress asking lawmakers to reject the deal.

"The agreement will enable Iran to become far more dangerous, render the Mideast still more unstable, and introduce new threats to American interests as well as our allies," the letter states.

One of those key allies, Israel, got a warning from a senior Iranian official this week.

Hussein Sheikholeslam, a foreign affairs adviser, said he "rejects the existence of any Israeli on this earth" and added, "Our positions against the usurper Zionist regime have not changed at all; Israel should be annihilated and this is our ultimate slogan."

The Iran deal is supposedly meant to prevent the Islamic regime from building a nuclear weapon, but critics say it's not going to work.

Yet despite serious opposition to the deal, it appears President Barack Obama is closer to getting enough votes to pass it through Congress.

To date, 29 Senate Democrats have backed the deal. Two are against it, and 15 are still undecided. Supporters need 34 votes to uphold a presidential veto.

A key Republican admits the president's aggressive campaign is paying off.

"I don't think there's any question but the lobbying effort by the administration certainly has generated results," Sen. Bob Coker, R-Tenn., told the Associated Press.

But while supporters feel momentum on Capitol Hill, polls show most Americans are against the nuclear agreement. Voters in the swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida believe it will make the world less safe.

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George
Thomas

Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and of Indian descent, CBN News’ Senior International Correspondent and Co-Anchor, George Thomas, has been traveling the globe for more than 20 years, finding the stories of people, conflicts, and issues that must be told. He has reported from more than 100 countries and has had a front-row seat to numerous global events of our day. George’s stories of faith, struggle, and hope combine the expertise of a seasoned journalist with the inspiration of a deep calling to tell the stories of the people behind the news. “I’ve always liked discovering & exploring new