Obama threatens to veto new sanctions against Iran

President Barack Obama gives his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday Jan. 28, 2014. AP

WASHINGTON— US President Barack Obama says negotiations to limit Iran’s nuclear program will be difficult and may not succeed, but he’s warning Congress he will veto new economic sanctions against Tehran while the discussions are ongoing.

Obama described the U.S. on Tuesday as cleared-eyed about longstanding mistrust between Iran and six world powers that are working to prevent the Islamic republic from enriching enough uranium to build nuclear weapons.

But he used his State of the Union speech to give the U.S. credit for leading the way toward an interim agreement that has all but frozen Iran’s nuclear program for the first time in a decade.

An estimated $7 billion in international sanctions against Tehran have been lifted in exchange for slowing its nuclear program.

Critics in Congress want sanctions to remain.