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US tells Congress new sanctions could derail Iran deal talks

US officials defended extending the deadline for reaching an Iran nuclear deal by four months and urged Congress to hold off on actions that could derail the talks.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 29:  State Departent Undersecretary For Political Affairs Wendy Sherman (L) talks with Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) before she testifies to the committee about the ongoing P-5+1 talks with Iran during a hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill July 29, 2014 in Washington, DC. Many members of the committee are skeptical that the Obama Administration's agreement to extended talks with Iran for an additional four months will apply en

On July 29, the lead US Iran negotiator warned lawmakers that congressional action now that would threaten to impose new sanctions on Iran if a final nuclear deal is not reached in November could jeopardize the sensitive negotiations at a critical moment, and unravel the international coalition pursuing them.

“The administration believes quite strongly that at this moment in [the] negotiations, additional legislative action would potentially derail negotiations,” Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee July 29.

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