U.S. Senate Democrats give Obama breathing room on Iran nuclear talks

Several Democratic Senators in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday pledged not to push new sanctions legislature against Iran before March 24, giving President Barack Obama breathing room to reach a nuclear deal with the Islamic republic.

The sanctions bill would tighten economic restrictions on Iran if negotiators fail to reach a deal by June 30, the self-imposed deadline for a comprehensive agreement between world powers and Iran.

"In acknowledgment of your concern regarding congressional action on legislation at this moment, we will not vote for this legislation on the Senate floor before March 24," said a letter sent to Obama Tuesday by Democratic Senators.

The P5+1 group -- the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany -- has agreed with Iran to try to reach a political agreement before the end of March, with a view to reaching a final deal by June 30.

"After March 24, we will only vote for this legislation on the Senate floor if Iran fails to reach agreement on a political framework that addresses all parameters of a comprehensive agreement," said the letter.

The squabble over the new sanctions bill was the latest of a series of issues which reflected hostility between the White House and a Republican-controlled Congress.

Obama, who has threatened to veto any new sanctions legislation, warned in his State of Union speech last Tuesday that further sanctions on Iran pushed ahead by Congress would lead to "failure of diplomacy" in solving the Iranian nuclear issue.

In response to Obama's veto threat, Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the most prominent opponents to the current Iranian nuclear talks, to address a joint session of the U. S. Congress in early March. Endite