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WASHINGTON Democrats in the White House and Congress accused 47 GOP senators of undermining President Barack Obama in international talks to curb Irans nuclear program, saying that trying to upend diplomatic negotiations was tantamount to rushing into war with Tehran.

The decision to undercut our president and circumvent our constitutional system offends me as a matter of principle, Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement.

In an open letter Monday to the leaders of Iran, Republican lawmakers warned that any nuclear deal they cut with Obama could expire the day he walks out of the Oval Office. The letter was an aggressive attempt to make it more difficult for Obama and five world powers to strike an initial agreement by the end of March to limit Irans nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes.

Republicans worry that Iran is not negotiating in good faith and that a deal would be insufficient and unenforceable, allowing Iran to eventually become a nuclear-armed state. They have made a series of proposals to undercut or block it from requiring Senate say-so on any agreement to ordering new penalty sanctions against Iran to threats of stronger measures.

The Republicans move comes just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to a joint meeting of Congress at Republican House Speaker John Boehners invitation. In his address, Netanyahu bluntly warned the United States that a deal would pave Irans path to a nuclear bomb.

I think its somewhat ironic that some members of Congress want to make common cause with the hard-liners in Iran, Obama said about conservative Iranians who also are leery of, or downright against, the negotiations. Its an unusual coalition.

The letter, written by freshman Sen. Tom Cotton, was addressed to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran and presents itself as a constitutional primer to the government of an American adversary. The signature of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is on it, as are those of several prospective presidential candidates.

Explaining the difference between a Senate-ratified treaty and a mere agreement between Obama and Irans Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the senators warned, The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen, and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time.

Cotton defended the letter in a series of television appearances Tuesday morning, denying emphatically that it undermines Obamas negotiating position with Iran.

No, he said. Were making sure that Irans leaders understand that if Congress doesnt approve a deal, Congress wont accept a deal.

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Democrats denounce GOP letter to Iran