News Digest

U.S. Congress puts brakes on new Iran sanctions -for now

U.S. President Barack Obama won breathing room Tuesday for his nuclear dialogue with Iran, as legislation calling for strict new sanctions against the Islamic republic lost some crucial support in Congress. Several key Democrats had assured Obama they would not vote in support of new sanctions prior to March 24, shortly before a negotiations target date. Their backing off marks an abrupt reversal, particularly by Senator Robert Menendez, co-author of legislation to tighten the sanctions, who had defied the White House by pressing for swift passage of new sanctions. Without Democratic support, the Republican Senate majority would be unable to pass the measure.

This deadline is the critical test of Iranian intentions.

Senator Robert Menendez announced that he and several fellow Democrats in a letter to Obama

After more than 18 months of negotiations, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia have agreed with Iran to try to reach a political understanding by the end of March, with a view to a full-blown deal by a self-imposed June 30 deadline. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes but Washington and others fear it is covertly seeking the capacity to build a bomb. The Iran issue took on a strongly partisan tone in Washington last week when Republican leaders announced that they had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress on Iran, without consulting the Obama administration or congressional Democrats.