Rubio: GOP Congress can force new sanctions on Iran

David Jackson | USA TODAY

Another item on the 2015 agenda likely to provoke disputes between the Obama administration and congressional Republicans: Iran.

One prominent member of the new Republican-run Senate, Marco Rubio of Florida, says it has the numbers to impose new sanctions on Iran, even if they have to override a veto by President Obama.

Obama objects to new sanctions on the Tehran government, saying they would damage negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program.

In an interview NPR News, Rubio -- a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2016 -- said he doesn't think the administration can reach a good deal with Iran because Tehran may be seeking the means to make nuclear weapons.

"I think we'll have a super-majority, a veto-proof majority, to impose additional sanctions on Iran and to require the administration to come before Congress for approval of any deal that he has with Iran," Rubio told NPR.

Even if it destroys a potential deal with Iran? "Yes," said Rubio, "because I don't believe there is the prospects for a deal with Iran."

In an interview with NPR earlier this year, Obama raised the prospect of better relations overall with Iran, provided that "we can get a deal on making sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon."

Obama said "that deal is possible," and that existing sanctions on Iran could be lifted if the Iranians can verify that they aren't seeking the means to make nuclear weapons.

"If we can take that big first step, then my hope would be that that would serve as the basis for us trying to improve relations over time," Obama said.