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Irans supreme leader expressed concern Thursday that nuclear talks with the United States could face new hurdles, saying a letter of warning from Republican senators signaled a collapse of political ethics in Washington.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggested that internal divisions in Washington make Iranian negotiators question the U.S. ability to follow through with the current talks over ways to monitor and limit Tehrans nuclear program.

Isnt this the ultimate degree of the collapse of political ethics and the U.S. systems internal disintegration? Khamenei was quoted by the official IRNA news agency in his first public statements since the GOP letter saying any possible accord could be undone unless it had congressional approval.

Khamenei, who has final say in all key Iranian decisions, also predicted additional complications ahead for the nuclear talks with the U.S. and other world powers.

Of course I am worried, Khamenei was quoted by Irans Mehr news agency, because the other side is known for opacity, deceit and backstabbing.

[Read: GOP contenders for White House embrace hard line against Iran]

Talks between Iran and world powers are scheduled to resume Sunday in efforts to reach a general framework before the end of the month.

The central issue remains the extent of Irans uranium enrichment program. The West and its allies are concerned that Iran could eventually produce warhead-grade material. Iran insists it does not seek atomic arms, but does not want to rely on outside sources for nuclear fuel for peaceful reactors.

Every time we reach a stage where the end of the negotiations is in sight, the tone of the other party, particularly the Americans, becomes harsher, harder and more aggressive, IRNA quoted Khamenei as saying. This is the nature of their tricks and deceptions.

The Republican letter, signed by 47 senators, advised Irans leaders that any nuclear pact could be at risk of being rejected in the future unless lawmakers are allowed a voice on the deal.

Excerpt from:
Irans leader: Fall of U.S. political ethics highlighted by GOP letter

Story highlights White House, many Republicans disagree over deal terminology, requirements At some point, Congress will weigh in on some aspect of a prospective agreement

According to the White House, only if the President of the United States says it is.

That's infuriating Republicans and even some Democrats, who are demanding that the Obama administration submit any final nuclear deal with Iran to Congress for approval.

"This is clearly a treaty," Arizona Sen. John McCain told reporters Tuesday. "They can call it a banana, but it's a treaty."

Kerry denounces GOP letter to Iran leaders

The GOP position could jeopardize the long-term survival of any Iran deal, and it represents the party's newest clash with President Barack Obama over the limits of executive authority, as Republicans object to a pact they warn could eventually give Tehran a nuclear bomb.

It's that skepticism that has largely led the White House to define the deal as a "nonbinding agreement" rather than a "treaty," which the Constitution requires Senate "advice and consent" on.

The distinction -- and whether it can legitimately be used to shut out Congress -- turns on complicated and unresolved questions of constitutional law. While Republicans call foul, the administration defends the differentiation as perfectly sound, and no surprise.

Secretary of State John Kerry stressed Wednesday that the administration never intended to negotiate a treaty.

"We've been clear from the beginning. We're not negotiating a 'legally binding plan.' We're negotiating a plan that will have in it a capacity for enforcement," he said at a Senate hearing.

Read more here:
Iran deal: A treaty or not a treaty and why you should care

Potential GOP presidential candidates are embracing a hard line against President Obamas engagement with Iran, making it an early litmus test for ambitious Republicans and the most important foreign policy issue of the developing campaign.

A crop of lawmakers preparing to run for president is especially eager to call out Obamas overtures to Iran, using their perch on Capitol Hill to raise concerns and forcing potential rivals to pile on from afar.

The strategy could backfire Obama may ultimately yield an agreement embraced by other world powers and the American public. The White House and Democrats have also cast Senate Republicans who co-signed a letter to Iranian leaders this week as traitors for attempting to derail the talks.

The Republican push continued Wednesday, when Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) used his turn during a Foreign Relations Committee hearing about potential military action against the Islamic State to instead sharply question top officials about Iran.

I believe that much of our strategy with regards to ISIS is being driven by a desire not to upset Iran so that they dont walk away from the negotiating table on the deal that youre working on, Rubio said to Secretary of State John F. Kerry, using an acronym for the extremist group. Tell me why Im wrong.

Kerry responded that the United States and Iran actually are united against the Islamic State a Sunni group that Shiite Iran sees as every bit a threat to its regional influence as American bombers.

ISIS is a threat to them; its a threat to the region, Kerry said. And I think youre misreading it if you dont think that theres a mutual interest ... between every country in the region.

Rubios possible misreading aside, his comments were one of the latest moves in a GOP push that was rejuvenated Tuesday when Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent a letter co-signed by 46 other Republican senators to top Iranian leaders, reminding them that a future president could act to undermine any nuclear deal agreed to by Obama and the multinational partners now negotiating with Iran in Switzerland.

Rubio and Sens. Ted Cruz (Tex.), Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) and Rand Paul (Ky.), who are all plotting presidential runs, were co-signers.

Paul, who like Rubio is on the Foreign Relations Committee, also questioned Kerry and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Wednesday.

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Iran grabs 2016 spotlight, as GOP contenders embrace hard line

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