By Kevin Cirilli – 04/09/15 06:37 PM EDT
Americans who were held hostage in Iran from 1979 to 1981 are pushing the Obama administration to demand that they be compensated as part of any nuclear deal.
Dozens of the hostages and their families will meet with lawmakers’ staffs early next week to reiterate their call for compensation from Iran, which has gone unanswered in the 35 years since they were held prisoner.
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) has filed two amendments to Iran legislation that would “ensure that resolving the issue of compensation for hostages is considered” prior to any nuclear agreement, a source familiar with the amendments told The Hill.
Isakson proposed the amendments to legislation introduced by Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) that would require congressional review of any deal the administration brokers with Tehran. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to move forward with the legislation on Tuesday.
A State Department official noted that the administration has in the past backed Isakson’s bipartisan efforts on compensating the hostages, but suggested the issue would not be part of the nuclear talks.
