2nd LD: U.S., British leaders oppose to impose extra sanctions on Iran

U.S. President Barack Obama and visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron warned on Friday that extra sanctions on Iran would derail the ongoing efforts to prevent Tehran from getting nuclear weapons.

"We agree that the international community needs to remain united as we seek a comprehensive, diplomatic solution to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons," said Obama at a joint press conference in the White House with Cameron. "Additional sanctions on Iran at this time would undermine that international unity and set back our chances for a diplomatic solution."

Washington's reluctance to impose new sanctions on Iran was echoed by Cameron, who was on a two-day state visit to the United States.

Calling the prospect of imposing extra sanctions on Iran " counterproductive", Cameron said the success of nuclear talks with Tehran required "space for negotiation."

"It could put at risk the valuable international unity that has been so crucial to our approach," he said

As U.S. negotiators are meeting with their Iranian counterparts in a fresh round of nuclear talks, the White House and U.S. Congress are heading into a deadlock over whether to impose extra sanctions on Iran.

So far, U.S. lawmakers have already finished a new bipartisan bill on Iran sanctions and the Senate intends to vote on it well before current rounds of international nuclear talks end in June. Meanwhile, Obama threatened to veto any sanction bill, calling it a practice that "worth doing".

"Congress needs to show patience," said Obama at the joint press conference. "With respect to the veto, I said to my Democratic Caucus colleagues yesterday that I will veto a bill that comes to my desk." Endite