Both the European Union and the U.N. Security Council voted to approve the nuclear agreement with Iran today, clearing the way for a lifting of sanctions once the International Atomic Energy Agency signs off on Iran's compliance.

What about the U.S. Congress?  Irrelevant.

Reuters:

The United Nations Security Council on Monday endorsed a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief, but it will be able to re-impose U.N. penalties during the next decade if Tehran breaches the historic agreement.

The 15-member body unanimously adopted a resolution that was negotiated as part of the agreement reached in Vienna last week between Iran and the world's major powers.

In return for lifting U.S., EU and U.N. sanctions, Iran will be subjected to long-term curbs on a nuclear program that the West suspected was aimed at creating an atomic bomb, but which Tehran says is peaceful.

Passage of the resolution triggers a complex set of coordinated steps agreed by Iranduring nearly two years of talks with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France,Germany and the European Union.

It says that no sanctions relief will be implemented until the International Atomic Energy Agency submits a report to the Security Council verifying that Iran has taken certain nuclear-related measures outlined in the agreement.

Under the deal, the major powers don't need to take any further action for 90 days. Then they are required to begin preparations so they are able to lift sanctions as soon as the IAEA verification report is submitted.

The European Union approved the Iran nuclear deal with world powers on Monday. U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has sent the nuclear agreement to Congress, which has the next 60 days to review it.

Once sanctions relief can be implemented, seven previous U.N. resolutions will be terminated and the measures contained in the resolution adopted on Monday will come into effect.

The IAEA says it can have a certification report finished before the end of the year as long as Iran cooperates.  Meanwhile, the United States Congress has been castrated as a result of these votes, and there is little they can do to stop the implementation of the deal.

The strongest sanctions are contained in those U.N. resolutions.  Once lifted, Iran will get its cash windfall, and no one – certainly not the U.S. Congress – can stop them. 

But there are U.S. sanctions that Congress can maintain on Iran, including a freeze on some assets that have been in place since 1979.  But it's a pittance compared to what Iran will get when European banks unfreeze Iranian cash and other financial restrictions are lifted by the U.N. vote.

In short, these votes have allowed President Obama to bypass Congress on the nuclear deal.  He could have asked both the EU and U.N. to await the outcome of a congressional vote, but he did not.  Now, even if Congress passes a resolution of disapproval, it will be a moot point.