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An already heated battle between the White House and Republicans over negotiations to curtail Irans nuclear program grew more tense when 47 Republican senators sent a letter to Iran designed to kill any potential deal. But is it treason? (Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)

An already heated battle between the White House and Republicans over negotiations to curtail Irans nuclear program grew more tense Monday when 47Republican senators sent a letter to Iran designed to kill any potential deal.

The White House responded by accusing the Republicans of conspiring with Iranian hard-liners, who oppose the delicate negotiations, and suggesting that their goal was to push the United States into a military conflict.

I think its somewhat ironic to see some members of Congress wanting to make common cause with the hard-liners in Iran, President Obama said a few hours after the letter was made public. Its an unusual coalition.

Vice President Biden blasted the letter as beneath the dignity of an institution I revere.

In 36 years in the United States Senate, I cannot recall another instance in which Senators wrote directly to advise another country much less a longtime foreign adversary that the President does not have the constitutional authority to reach a meaningful understanding with them, Biden said in a statement.

President Obama says it was "somewhat ironic" that Republican senators wrote a letter to Iranian leaders warning them about a potential nuclear deal with the United States. (Reuters)

The letter, written by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), suggests that any deal between Obama and the Iranian leadership would amount to only an executive agreement that could be undone by Congress or a future president. The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time, states the letter which was first reported by Bloomberg View.

The Republican signatories dismissed Obamas assertion that they are cozying up to Iranian hard-liners.

I think thats a laughable charge coming from this administration, said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), who signed the letter. He said the administrations rush to secure a deal with Iran had led it to dismiss Congresss concerns.

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Republican letter to Iran deepens White House ire