Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama has put Barack Obama's bill on divestment from Iran on hold, and sources involved in the matter said they believe he is doing so following a request from the Bush Administration.

Shelby says the bill should pass through the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, of which he is a ranking member, before it goes for a vote.

The sources said, however, that the real motivation behind the step is that the Bush administration is concerned such legislation won't sit well with the international coalition partners, especially in Europe, that are badly needed if it wants to effectively tighten the sanctions against Iran.