WASHINGTON (Dispatches) -- The U.S. House of Representatives was expected to vote on Tuesday to impose new sanctions against Russia and Iran as well as North Korea, potentially complicating President Donald Trump's efforts of improving relations with Moscow.
The legislation is the result of a congressional deal reached between Republicans and Democrats at the weekend.
President Trump could veto the bill if it reaches his desk, but there is a chance that Congress could override his veto with a two-thirds vote.
The Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act, overwhelmingly passed by the Senate in mid-June, was held up in the House of Representatives after Republicans proposed that North Korea sanctions be included in the bill.
The legislation would make it much harder for President Trump to try to lift sanctions against Moscow.
The bipartisan measure includes sanctions against Iran and its Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), as well as North Korea for its missile tests.
"I am pleased to see the Congress work as a whole to hold Iran, Russia, and North Korea accountable for their continued destabilizing activities across the world," Democratic Senator Robert Menendez said in a statement on Monday.
The bill also "sends a clear message to the president that Congress is prepared to act with a united voice," he added.
Since his inauguration on January 20, President Trump has adopted a hostile policy towards Iran.
He has repeatedly vowed to cancel the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, including the U.S., and his administration has imposed new sanctions on multiple Iranian individuals and entities.
In addition, Trump reportedly planned to designate IRGC as a terrorist organization, but the U.S. State and Defense Departments cautioned him against it.
The EU has warned the U.S. over "unintended consequences” which may result from imposing further sanctions against Russia.
The European Commission released a statement this weekend, warning that imposing fresh sanctions against Russia without coordination with G7 countries may have "wide and indiscriminate" "unintended consequences."
Germany has already announced that it may engage in retaliatory moves if the U.S. sanctions German firms involved in the construction of a new Baltic pipeline for Russian gas.