WASHINGTON, Dec 10: US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Congress on Tuesday not to impose new sanctions against Iran as it could derail a key “delicate” interim deal for rolling back its nuclear programme.

In a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Secretary Kerry claimed that the agreement, signed in Geneva last month, had made the United States and its allies safer than they were before.

“The national security of the United States is stronger under this agreement than it was the day before … and so is Israel’s and Saudi Arabia’s,” he said.

Mr Kerry also told the congressional panel that while negotiating the pact, the United States had promised Iran that there would be no new economic penalties during a six-month interim period, during which it is expected to curb its nuclear activity.

The Five Plus 1 group, which comprises the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, needed time to work with Iran towards a final agreement, Mr Kerry said.

Five of these six nations who signed the pact with Iran are permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Mr Kerry said he believed that the final deal would eliminate any possibility of Iran developing nuclear weapons while new sanctions would risk jeopardise talks for this ultimate gaol.

The top US diplomat said that President Obama and he were committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and the interim agreement “halts the progress of the Iranian nuclear programme, and rolls it back in certain areas.”

Congressman Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, however, disagreed with Mr Kerry’s interpretation of the Geneva pact.

“I have serious concerns that the agreement does not meet the standards necessary to protect the United States and our allies,” said the Republican lawmaker.

“The deal does not roll back Iran’s nuclear programme, but instead allows Tehran to keep in place the key elements of its nuclear weapons-making capability,” Mr Royce said.

Congressman Gerald Connolly, a Democrat, backed Mr Kerry, and said that the interim deal “will effectively freeze Iran’s nuclear programme” while the status quo would “allow Iran to freely pursue its nuclear ambitions away from the prying eyes of the international weapons inspectors.”

Another Democrat, Congressman Eliot Engel, disagreed with his colleague and Mr Kerry.

He argued that the interim deal allowed Iran to continue to enrich uranium, which he said raised important questions.

“If Iran retains any enrichment capacity how can we be sure the final deal, will prevent them from having a breakout capacity?” Mr Engel said.

“Why the ones closest to (Iran) — Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates — are opposing the deal?” he asked.

The panel’s chairman urged the lawmakers to focus on the end-result because “the key issue is whether a final agreement would allow Iran to manufacture nuclear fuel.”

“Unfortunately, the interim agreement reads ‘yes,’ it will,” Mr Royce said.

The Republican lawmaker listed signs that Iran intended to further refine its nuclear fuel making programme, and that it remained a threat to the West.

And Iran continues to plan “Death to America” rallies, repress its own people, and threaten Israel, he added.