President Barack Obama is urging Congress not to add new sanctions against Iran.

That’s as the international community negotiates to ensure that Iran will not have the ability to develop nuclear weapons.

Obama says at a White House news conference that if Iran can’t deliver on future promises and commitments, “the sanctions can be ramped back up.”

The Obama administration has been pushing for more time to negotiate a deal with Iran that would protect Israel and U.S. interests in the Middle East and prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Obama says if the U.S. is serious about using diplomacy to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, there is no need to add new sanctions on top of sanctions already in place that have “crippled” Iran’s economy.

(AP)