State Department to Congress: New Sanctions Violate Nuclear Deal with Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The US State Department warned the Republican-controlled Congress about imposing further sanctions against Iran during nuclear negotiations.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Tuesday that additional sanctions violate the Joint Plan of Action that was agreed between Iran and six world powers.
She added that President Barack Obama would veto sanctions legislation if it is passed.
In November 2014, Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -Britain, China, France, Russia and the US- plus Germany agreed to extend the Joint Plan of Action to July 1, 2015.
"If there's a bill that's signed into law, and it is US law, in our mind it is a violation of the Joint Plan of Action -which, as we've said, could encourage Iran to violate it," Harf said.
"A sanctions bill… that is passed and signed into law by the president, which we've said we will not do... would be a violation of the JPOA," she added.
With control of Republicans over both houses of Congress last week, they will put pressure on other lawmakers to vote on Iran sanctions legislation, Press TV reported.
Republican sources on Capitol Hill said new Iran measures will be a top priority for the new Congress.
This is while US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Geneva on Tuesday for the nuclear talks.
Kerry is set to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
On Monday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power urged Congress to stop pursuing new sanctions against Iran because the measure could “isolate” Washington.
“We in the administration believe that, at this time, increasing sanctions would dramatically undermine our efforts to reach this shared goal,” Power said.
In a statement on Monday, the White House announced Obama reiterated that his country is “focused” on efforts to reach a “comprehensive” nuclear deal with Iran.