**The US Senate has backed legislation allowing President Barack Obama to extend sanctions against Iran.**The sanctions would target those who export fuel to Iran.
In his State of the Union address on Wednesday, Mr Obama had warned Iran’s leaders of “growing consequences” over its nuclear programme.
The US and its allies fear Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.
This month Iran told the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, it could not accept the terms of a deal to ease concerns about its programme.
For months, the Iranian government had criticised the offer to ship low-enriched uranium abroad in return for fuel, but never responded formally.
There have been three rounds of UN sanctions against Iran and the US and its allies on the Security Council have been pushing for a fourth.
The Senate backing follows legislation approved in the House of Representatives and the two must be reconciled before they can become law.