William and Mary professor and former Powell aide calls Iran agreement 'monumental step forward'

William and Mary Professor Distinguished Visiting Professor Lawrence Wilkerson started scanning the 159 page deal on Iran's nuclear program before the sun came up.

Shortly after the deal was announced, a contact in Geneva shot him a copy of the agreement, which Wilkerson said was a monumental step forward in curtailing the Iranian regime's ability to produce a nuclear weapon.

But Wilkerson said Congressional support would be important for the deal, which he thinks will be critical in decreasing tensions in the Middle East.

While Wilkerson wasn't involved in the last round of negotiations that involved a number of international parties, including the U.S., Russia, China, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, he has watched with keen interest.

Wilkerson, 70, was a longtime aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, serving as Powell's chief of staff from 2002 to 2005, and as a special assistant during Powell's tenure as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff from 1989 to 1993.

Wilkerson's service provided him with a unique view on U.S. diplomatic and military affairs. He has emerged as a harsh critic of the Bush Administration's decision to invade Iraq in 2003 and subsequent handling of Middle East Policy.

Under terms of the deal, the culmination of 20 months of arduous diplomacy, Iran must dismantle much of its nuclear program in order to secure relief from biting sanctions that have battered its economy.

International inspectors can now press for visits to Iran's military facilities, though access is not guaranteed. Centrifuges will keep spinning, though in lesser quantities, and uranium can still be enriched, though at lower levels.

Wilkerson lauded the announcement Tuesday that a deal had been made with Iran. "I didn't think we would ever achieve it, but apparently we have," Wilkerson said in a phone interview with the Gazette. "This is unprecedented in terms of international diplomacy."

In his view, the agreement would get Iran to become more cooperative in regional issues by opening more dialogue with the West.

"This nuclear deal is almost more important for geopolitical and geostrategic implications than it is for the nuclear aspects," Wilkerson said. "We need to stop the potential for a nuclear arms race in this region and somehow get better relations with Iran and use those better relations to help these far more intractable problems in the Middle East like the Syrian civil war, like Iraq , like Afghanistan and ISIS."

The deal, reached by executive agreement, does not need to be ratified by Congressbut under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act passed by Congress, it will receive some oversight and a vote.

Wilkerson said the Obama Administration will have an uphill fight because Republicans, who have expressed skepticism over any potential agreement with Iran, control both chambers of Congress.

"If you don't have the Congress on board to eventually lift the sanctions that are key to the agreement, you don't have an agreement."

Wilkerson said he spoke recently with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine regarding negotiations and expected him to be supportive of any deal. But Wilkerson said he was concerned Sen. Mark Warner might be more reluctant.

On Tuesday, Warner said in a statement from his office he would "review this agreement with the utmost attention to detail, given the incredible importance of getting an agreement of this magnitude right."

Kaine applauded the U.S. negotiating team, including Sec. of State John Kerry "for its hard work to find a diplomatic solution to peacefully limit Iran's Nuclear program." In a statement from his office, Kaine said "a nation's commitment to diplomacy is every bit as important as its commitment to military strength." Given that the deal largely hinges on what Iran must do to get relief from sanctions imposed by Congress, the American public deserves to have its elected representatives review any final deal to ensure it is in our national security interest," said Kaine.

Members of the local Hampton Roads Congressional delegation expressed trepidation at the deal.

U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Westmoreland, said the U.S. had to "remain wary of Iran's intentions."

"I am also discouraged that the president has already indicated an aversion to substantive congressional input and oversight," Wittman said. "Regardless, the people of Virginia can be assured that I will thoroughly review the provisions of the agreement and fight for policy that truly protects our national security interests."

U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, said he was concerned about the ability of the deal to make the U.S. and Israel safer as well as ensure access to sensitive sites for inspection. He questioned whether the deal would ultimately prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

"My initial assessment, based on preliminary reports, is that the proposed agreement fails on all four counts," Rigell said in a statement. "In the days ahead, the House and Senate will engage in a rigorous and open debate on this serious topic and I will carefully review the deal, fully considering the alternatives."

U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, said he had "grave concerns about the impact of the Administration's nuclear deal with Iran on security in the region." Forbes also said he doubted Iran could be trusted "to uphold their end of the agreement."

U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D- Newport News, could not immediately be reached for comment.