nuclear program

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's statements underscored his lingering distrust of the United States and hostility toward Israel as the U.S. Congress prepares to vote on the landmark nuclear agreement reached with Tehran in July.

U.S. President Barack Obama appears to have secured enough support from Democrats to prevent the Republican-led Congress from derailing the deal, but Khamenei's latest remarks were likely to be seized upon by critics of the agreement as proof that Iran cannot be trusted.

Adel al-Jubeir spoke Monday after talks with EU's Federica Mogherini who was in the kingdom to assuage its concerns over the nuclear deal she helped broker.

Al-Jubeir says Saudi Arabia rejects Iran's words and actions — a veiled reference to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's statement that the deal won't sway his country's support for the Lebanese Hezbollah group, Syria's government and Shiites in Bahrain and Yemen.

The issue was raised on the sidelines of negotiations in Vienna earlier this month that led to the landmark deal on curbing Iran's nuclear program.

Abbas Araghchi told reporters in the Iranian capital on Wednesday that cases of "imprisoned citizens" were discussed with their American counterparts during the nuclear talks.

He says "humanitarian" reasons had motivated the discussion but did not elaborate.

As last Monday became Tuesday in Vienna, the U.S. secretary of state picked up the telephone in his first-floor room at the ornate, 19th-century Palais Coburg and dialed the White House.

We have a deal, Kerry told President Barack Obama.

"This deal meets every single one of the bottom lines that we established when we achieved a framework this spring. Every pathway to a nuclear weapon is cut off, and the inspection and transparency regime necessary to verify that objective will be put in place." —President Barack Obama.

9:05 a.m.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the deal with Iran has brought the world "a sigh of relief."

In a statement published on the Kremlin website, Putin also said that "Russia will do its utmost to make sure that the Vienna agreement is fully implemented, thus contributing to the international and regional security."

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8:50 a.m.

They predicted President Barack Obama could face hurdles in Congress if negotiators reach a final deal.

McConnell spoke minutes after diplomats said on Sunday that negotiators at the Iran nuclear talks were expected to reach a provisional agreement to curb the country's atomic program in return for tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief. Secretary of State John Kerry has been leading the U.S. delegation in the talks in Vienna, which aims to impose long-term, verifiable limits on Tehran's nuclear programs.

After more than two weeks of intense and often combative talks that blew through three deadlines in Vienna and a weekend of deadlock, diplomats expressed optimism that a deal was at hand.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who on Thursday had threatened to walk away from the negotiations, note that "a few tough things" remain in the way of agreement but added: "We're getting to some real decisions."

But a senior Iranian official warned that negotiations are hampered by differences not only between Tehran and the six other countries it is bargaining with but internally among the six as well.

Kerry was the first to arrive Friday evening, with diplomats from Iran, Britain, Germany, Russia, France and China expected in the Austrian capital over the coming days.