Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday he would address the U.S. Congress in March, saying in a statement the invitation tendered by House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner was bipartisan.

Blindsiding the Obama administration, Boehner announced the invitation to Netanyahu on Wednesday, drawing White House complaints that protocol had been breached. 

The invitation corresponds with a Republican call for tougher U.S. economic sanctions on Iran as the U.S. and other world powers try to negotiate a deal with Tehran to keep it from manufacturing nuclear weapons.

In Netanyahu’s third address to Congress, he’s expected to focus on the Iranian nuclear issue.

In his statement, Netanyahu said he was “honored to accept the invitation” and that would use the speech “to thank President Barack Obama, Congress and the American people for their support of Israel.”

The next round of nuclear talks is scheduled for February.  
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