Press TV has conducted an interview with James Petras, Middle East expert, to further discuss the recent deal on Iran’s nuclear energy program. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Mr. Petras, how do you see this recent deal on Iran’s nuclear program?

Petras: Well, I think it is a historical step forward, the fact that the negotiations took place, that a temporary agreement was made. There is a strategy towards a permanent solution.

I think Iran made enormous concessions regarding its nuclear facilities. It is downgrading its twenty-percent enriched uranium; it is limiting the operations of its centrifuges, etc. This is much more than any of the negotiators anticipated.

The fact that the US agreed to lower sanctions is very minimal impact right now and for the foreseeable future. It will not have any effect on the world oil market because only a fraction of increase will take place. But the fact of the matter is the big fight is still to come and that is the fight with the Israel lobby that has such a stranglehold on the US Congress.

It is time if this is going to advance – the peace process, the negotiations, the reconciliation. Obama has to pull his pants up and take on the Israeli lobby in Congress because if the Israeli lobby gets their way, what they are demanding is the surrender of Iranian sovereignty to dismantle its entire program. That is Netanyahu’s agenda. That is what the Israeli lobby is pushing and that is what the influence in American Congress.

That should not pass and I think the only way is for the White House to stand up to that and continue on a progressive path beginning with the initial settlement that has taken place.

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