New Jersey’s Menendez still uncertain on Iran nuclear deal

New Jersey’s senior U.S. senator says he’s nearing a decision on whether to support the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran.

Sen. Bob Menendez said Thursday he’s still evaluating the agreement.

“I had two box loads of testimony that was taken over the last two weeks sent up to me, which I’m sifting through now,” he said. “I’m meeting with constituents from out state who have concerns on both sides of the question, and we’ll come to that conclusion by the end of this week.”

Menendez, a Democrat, said he does have misgivings about the deal.

“The questions that I have been raising at the hearings of the administration and other witnesses is to get to the best judgment I can,” he said. “How would this be implemented? What would it mean? What did we get? What did we give up?”

The vow of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, to vote against the deal might have an impact on other lawmakers, Menendez said.

“That may have some degree of significance to other colleagues who have not decided,” he said. “At the end of the day, each person is going to have look into their own soul … [for a decision] on what I think is one of the most significant nonproliferation national security questions in some time.”