Opening Round of Iran Sanctions Fight Begins in Seattle

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress and President Barack Obama are on a fast track toward confrontation over sanctions on Iran.

A bipartisan group of senators is pushing a new round of penalties despite the president's warning that they would scuttle delicate talks under way to prevent Tehran from being able to develop a nuclear weapon.

A Senate hearing this week on Iranian sanctions is the opening round of the new Republican-led Congress' first foreign policy fight with the White House. Obama came out swinging last Friday, telling Congress he would veto any Iran sanctions bill that lands on his desk.

Time is running out to reach a deal with Iran, which claims its nuclear program is peaceful and exists only to produce energy for civilian use.

(Story by: Deb Riechmann, The Associated Press)