US Senate panel passes bill over n-deal with Iran

A Senate panel approved a bill demanding a congressional review of any nuclear deal the Obama administration inks with Iran by the end of June.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday voted 19-0 to pass an amended version of the bill, which will advance to the full Senate for a vote, Xinhua reported.

The new bill, while blocking President Barack Obama from lifting the sanctions on Iran during the review period, reduces the period to 52 days from the original 60 days, and allows the president to submit the accord after the June deadline for concluding the negotiations.

Obama, who has threatened to veto the draft bill, was willing to sign the new one, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said on Tuesday.

"The president would be willing to sign the proposed compromise that is working its way through the committee today," Earnest told reporters at a daily news briefing.

The US, Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany are set to resume talks with Iran soon over a final deal after reaching a framework pact early this month, and the Obama administration has repeated opposition to any interference in the negotiations.

During his closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill Monday and on Tuesday, Secretary of State John Kerry urged lawmakers to give the administration more space to seal a deal with Iran.

House Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday once again accused the Obama administration of pursuing a deal with Iran "at any cost," reiterating a call for congressional review of any agreement reached.