Iran Rebukes Obama Before Netanyahu Speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is giving a historic speech to the US Congress, just as the row over Iran's nuclear ambitions heats up.

Iran has labelled as "excessive and illogical" remarks by President Barack Obama about a possible deal with Israel's arch-foe over its uranium programme.

Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly attacked the Iran talks, and the White House is wary he may reveal specific details to US lawmakers.

On the eve of the speech, Mr Obama accused Mr Netanyahu of having previously made unfounded attacks on a 2013 interim pact with Iran.

“Netanyahu made all sorts of claims," he told Reuters on Monday. "This was going to be a terrible deal."

"This was going to result in Iran getting $50 billion worth of relief. Iran would not abide by the agreement. None of that has come true."

Mr Obama also said a minimum 10-year agreement offered the best hope of avoiding an atomic-armed Tehran.

But on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif branded Mr Obama's remarks "unacceptable".

He was speaking in Switzerland, where he and US Secretary of State John Kerry were meeting for a second day ahead of a 31 March deadline for a deal. Iran insists its programme is for civilian energy purposes.

About a quarter of Democratic lawmakers are expected to skip Mr Netanyahu's speech in protest.

The White House is displeased that it was not consulted in advance when the visit was arranged between congressional Republicans and the Israeli prime minister.

Mr Netanyahu said on Monday he meant no disrespect to Mr Obama by accepting the invitation.

By early Tuesday, about 60 of the 232 congressional Democrats said they planned to sit out the speech.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the Republican whose invitation to Mr Netanyahu triggered the diplomatic crisis, said on Tuesday he expected a full house.

"America's bond with Israel is stronger than the politics of the moment," he said in a video message.

It was unclear if Mr Obama would tune in to the speech.

The White House has said the President will not meet Mr Netanyahu, citing the need not to show bias towards any candidate in Israel's 17 March elections.

Mr Netanyahu will join Winston Churchill as the only foreign leader to have addressed Congress three separate times.

The Republicans are presenting him with a bust of Britain's wartime prime minister in honour of the occasion.