While the last letter from senators did not draw any linkage with the n-deal, the letter sent on Wednesday states that the India’s continuing exchange and cooperation with Iran as well as the recent case of “illegal procurement of sensitive technology” from a US company Cirrus has a “significant potential to negatively affect relations between US and India in general and consideration by Congress of the 123 agreement in particular”.

The letter, which is signed by Committee head Tom Lantos and six other Representatives of the House Foreign Committee including prominent India supporters like Gary Ackerman, clearly serves as a reminder that the 123 agreement too has to be passed by the Congress. With the White House entering a troubled phase in its relationship with the Congress after Republicans lost majority in both chambers, the letter is a clear signal for India to act fast in the negotiations.

But it is important to note here that Lantos was the first to raise the Iran question when the Bill was initiated in the House of Representatives last year. While many Congressmen along with him wanted to draw a direct relationship between operationalising the deal and India’s cooperation on the Iran nuclear issue, they backtracked and allowed it to be part of the ‘Statement of Policy’ section of the Bill which is not binding on the US Administration.

In fact, when the Senate sought to insert a provision for Presidential certification of India’s cooperation on Iran in its version of the Bill, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrote to members in-charge of the Conference that drew up the final version that though “we appreciate India’s past support and expect continued cooperation in this area, this certification would be viewed by India as adding additional conditions... and could reopen the terms of the initiative to renegotiation”.

While not unduly worried by the letter, top government sources said it is important that these issues do not turn into major stumbling blocks. So, longer the negotiations, more difficult it would be for the Bush Administration to convince the Congress on issues like Iran or the Cirrus dealings.

The letter points out to some specific instances:

• The indictment of individuals associated with Cirrus for “allegedly conspiring with the government of India to illegally procure sensitive technology....is inconsistent with efforts to increase the level of trust” between both countries.

• “Deeply concerned” by increasing cooperation with Iran, the letter points to the visit by Iranian Naval Chief Sajjad Koucheki-Badelani and the reported setting up of a joint defence working group.

• It highlights the recent meeting between Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and his Iranian counterpart Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh on the LNG deal. “We must point out that these ventures could be subject to US sanctions under the Iran Act.”

Holding out the threat their doubts could pose on the 123 agreement, the Congressmen write: “As you are aware, a pre-requisite for peace nuclear cooperation is the approval of the so called 123 agreement. We must stress that the subject of India’s strengthening relationship with Iran will inevitably be a factor in the consideration of that agreement when this presented to the Congress.”