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 "Apparently the administration is on the cusp of entering into a
very bad deal with one of the worst regimes in the world that would
allow them to continue to have their nuclear infrastructure,"
McConnell said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "We're alarmed
about it."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was resuming negotiations with
the Iranians in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sunday with the goal of
reaching a framework agreement by the end of March. Kerry said on
Saturday he hoped "in the next days" it would be possible to reach
an interim deal.
As negotiations intensified this month, opposition to the agreement
in the works erupted in the U.S. Congress. An open letter sent last
week to Iran's leaders from 47 Republicans in the 100-member Senate
warned that any nuclear deal reached with Obama may be undone after
he leaves office in 2017.
 The letter was denounced by the White House and the State Department
as interference into international negotiations.
On Saturday, the White House warned Republican senators that
proposed legislation requiring Congress to approve any accord
reached with Iran over its nuclear capabilities could have a
"profoundly negative impact" on negotiations.
Obama has said he would veto such a measure, which also has support
from some of his fellow Democrats.
"I have supported the negotiations to this point but any deal that
touches upon the congressional statutory sanctions is going to get a
review of Congress," said Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, a
Democratic co-sponsor of the proposed legislation.
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"The only question is, are you going to have a constructive
deliberate bipartisan process, or are you going be rushed and
partisan?" Kaine said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
If no Iran nuclear deal is reached, McConnell said, lawmakers will
consider a separate bill to ratchet up sanctions against Tehran.
Senator Tom Cotton, the freshman senator who organized the
Republicans' letter on Iran, said his intent was to send a clear
message to Iranian leaders that Congress has a say in the nuclear
issue.
"If they bluff this week, call their bluff," he said on CBS "Face
the Nation" about the Iranians. "The Congress stands ready to impose
much more severe sanctions."
(Editing by Frances Kerry)
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