WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says Congress will exercise its “rightful role” to scrutinize and approve any agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions.

“It’s very important that Congress is in the middle of this, understanding, teasing out, asking those important questions,” Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Sunday.

Negotiators announced Thursday a framework deal for a nuclear agreement with Iran, which would be finalized by June 30.

Corker’s position gives him an influential voice in the debate. He’s using it to attract bipartisan support for his bill to ensure that Congress debates and signs off on any pact. To that end, he did not join the bulk of his Senate GOP colleagues last month in signing a letter to the leaders of Iran warning that any nuclear deal they cut with President Barack Obama could expire the day he walks out of the Oval Office. Democrats assailed the 47 Republican senators who did sign of trying to upend sensitive diplomatic negotiations.