The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a bill Thursday that would green-light a civilian nuclear deal with Russia only if Moscow scales back its aid to Iran.

Chairman Howard L. Berman, D-Calif., the bill’s sponsor, cast the legislation as the only way the agreement could enter into force this year.

The Bush administration submitted the U.S.-Russia nuclear deal to Congress on May 13, and would like it to go into effect without conditions. But House Democrats are not prepared to go that far.

Congress could block the deal entirely if both chambers pass a joint resolution of disapproval, although that is not under discussion. The deal also would die if Congress adjourns for the year within 90 days of “continuous session” from when the agreement was submitted. If Congress takes its planned recesses and hits its target adjournment of Sept. 26, the 90 days would not have elapsed and the deal would die, leading Berman to say that conditional approval was the only way to see it put into effect this year.

A new administration would have to choose whether to resubmit it in the next Congress, said the panel’s ranking Republican, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida.

The bill, approved by voice vote, would require the president to certify that Russia is taking “effective actions to prohibit, terminate and prevent the transfer” of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons or ballistic missiles to Iran. It would exempt, however, technology and services needed to run Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr, for which Russia has an agreement to provide and reclaim nuclear fuel.

No amendments were offered.