Washington to go easy on curbs

Washington: The Obama administration, which laboured for months to impose tough new UN sanctions against Iran, now is pushing in the opposite direction against Congress as it crafts US sanctions that the White House fears may go too far.

Administration officials have begun negotiations with congressional leaders, who are working on versions of House and Senate bills that would punish companies that sell refined petroleum products to Iran or help the country's oil industry.

Unlike the UN measures, congressional action would pertain only to US policies and agencies and would not be binding on other countries. Other countries and groups of nations also are considering adopting measures to augment the UN action.

The sanctions are aimed at forcing Iran to giving up its nuclear programme, which Western nations fear is geared toward developing nuclear weapons. Iran insists it is only interested in peaceful energy projects.

US sanctions have strong support in Congress, and the administration backs them in principle as a way to strengthen the mild strictures adopted on Wednesday by the UN Security Council.

But the administration fears that the legislation also could damage relations with Europe, Russia and China, all of whom cooperated with US efforts on the UN sanctions.

To avoid that possibility, the administration wants authority to waive US punishment against companies from countries that have cooperated on Iran. But many lawmakers are wary.