The US Congress cannot prevent Iran and the P5+1 group of countries from securing a final nuclear agreement, a former US Senate policy adviser and diplomat says.

�It�s pretty clear that a large number of congressmen and senators from both parties are opposed to the deal because they agree with the Israeli position,� said James George Jatras, a specialist in international relations and legislative politics in Washington.

�This agreement, if finalized, which I expect it to be, will not be sent to Congress for approval, it is not a treaty under American law,� Jatras told Press TV on Monday.

�At the same token, there is very little Congress can do to actually stop the agreement,� he added.

Representatives from Iran and the P5+1 � the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany � are engaged in intense negotiations in the Austrian capital of Vienna to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement.

The two sides have extended their self-imposed end-of-June deadline for a deal to July 7.

If a nuclear deal is sealed, attention in the United States will immediately turn to Congress, which will have 30 days to review and vote on the agreement.

If no agreement is sent to Congress by July 9, the review period will be extended to 60 days, a period that would coincide with congressional recess in August.

�A resolution disapproving the agreement will not stop whatever degree Mr. Obama can use his executive authority to carry it out,� Jatras said.

Some members of Congress along with Israel and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its civilian nuclear program. Iran rejects the allegation, arguing it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday that after almost two years of negotiations, "genuine progress" had been made in the nuclear talks.

"Over the past few days we have in fact made genuine progress, but I want to be absolutely clear with everybody we are not yet where we need to be on several of the most difficult issues," Kerry told reporters in the Austrian capital city of Vienna.

By Press TV