Senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers issued a unified call Friday for tougher measures against Iran and Syria, warning that news of an alleged Iranian assassination plot in the United States is indicative of a political movement increasingly unconstrained by international norms and values.

According to CNN, Congressmen from both parties expressed fear that time is running out in the fight to stop Tehran from building nuclear weapons.

Appearing before members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, senior State and Treasury department officials insisted the Obama administration has been significantly ratcheting up pressure on Tehran and Damascus, and promised to take further steps as warranted.

"The Iranian and Syrian governments continue their current behavior at ever-increasing risk of isolation," said Wendy Sherman, under secretary of state for political affairs. "Our actions to counter their domestic, regional, and international belligerency are unmistakably escalating the cost of doing business as usual for both countries."

The United States and its allies are "making progress in both Iran and Syria," insisted David Cohen, Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Despite the recent imposition of a host of new economic sanctions, all options "are on the table" and "we will continue (to develop) new and innovative ways" to punish the two governments if they fail to change, he said.