Sen. Bernie Sanders slammed the Senate’s decision on Thursday to impose new sanctions on Iran, saying that the move could put the 2015 nuclear deal at risk.

“That is not a risk worth taking, particularly at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia and its allies,” The Hill quoted Sanders as saying.

He said that the U.S. should play a more even-handed role in the Middle East region.

The U.S. Senate voted nearly unanimously on Thursday for legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile activity, its alleged human rights violation and claims of support for terrorist organizations.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on June 11 that the move to impose new sanctions on Iran will scupper a successful implementation of the nuclear accord, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Araqchi said the Senate action is “shameful” and shows “confusion” on the part of the U.S. toward the Middle East. He added the allegations of Iran’s support for terrorism is “farcical” and “shameful”.

In a series of Twitter messages in late May, former Secretary of State John Kerry, who was heavily involved in drafting the nuclear agreement with Iran, urged the senators not to move ahead with legislation saying “this is not the moment for a new Iran bill”.