Rep. Eliot Engel, Top House Democrat, Rejects Iran Nuke Deal

U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Thursday he has decided to vote to reject the nuclear deal with Iran.

In a statement obtained by Reuters, Engel said he had raised questions about his concerns about the deal during the negotiations and since the deal was announced on July 1.

"The answers I've received simply don't convince me that this deal will keep a nuclear weapon out of Iran's hands, and may in fact strengthen Iran's position as a destabilizing and destructive influence across the Middle East," Engel said. (