Several top Democrats are voicing grave reservations over the Obama administration’s emerging deal governing the future of Iran’s nuclear program.

Reps. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) said they welcome a discussion on the framework agreement unveiled Thursday, but harbor deep doubts that the Iranians can be trusted to make good on their commitments.

“I greet any deal with Iran with great skepticism given its deceptive history and ongoing destabilizing and dangerous activities,” Deutch, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs subpanel on the Middle East, said in a statement. “I remain deeply concerned as to how a number of issues have been addressed in the framework and may be addressed in a final agreement.”

Deutch singled out provisions of the agreement that would allow a nuclear facility at Arak to continue processing and another in Fordo to remain open so long as it’s no longer used for uranium enrichment purposes.

Lowey, senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, delivered a similar message. While praising the efforts of Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the negotiations on behalf of Obama, she also warned that administration officials will have a tough time convincing Congress to endorse the deal.

“While the framework laid out by President Obama and Secretary Kerry has positive aspects, far too many details remain undetermined to ensure Congress and the American people that we are on track to permanently and verifiably prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” she said in a statement.

“The administration will have a high bar to convince Congress and the American people that this deal is good for our long-term national security and that of our allies, and that it will verifiably prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon.”

The issue is splitting Democrats, with a number of liberals praising the deal as a milestone achievement that will prevent the Iranians from developing nuclear weapons.
On the other side, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) is voicing optimism the deal will preclude a nuclear Iran.

“I believe this is a deal worth supporting, but we must wait to ensure there is no backsliding on any parameters before a final agreement is signed…”.
“Members of Congress will need to scrutinize this agreement carefully,” Rep. David Price (D-N.C) said in a statement.