The Obama administration is asking Congress to hold off on new sanctions against Iran. At a White House meeting, top officials asked for the continued delay of a Senate Banking Committee measure targeting Iranian oil. The administration wants to stall the new sanctions pending the outcome of ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In an interview with Voice of America, the lead U.S. negotiator on Iran, Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said she expects Congress to back a sanctions pause.

Wendy Sherman: “We think that this is a time for a pause, to see if these negotiations can gain traction. The Congress has its prerogatives. We don’t get to control Congress, but we are having very serious discussions. We work as partners with Congress. I think they have been very effective partners as we’ve tried to approach this negotiation. We need them to continue to be effective partners to reach a successful conclusion, and I have trust that they will be.”

A new round of talks is set for next month in Geneva. Despite the White House call, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed support for holding a sanctions vote by the end of the week.