Last week, President Barack Obama put into effect the controversial deal between the P5+1 nations and Iran supposedly designed to curb the Islamic Republic�s nuclear program. The deal has seen a great deal of criticism inside and outside the US.

US agreement to�the deal sparked outrage among�its critics who claim the deal will eventually lead to�a nuclear armed Iran that threatens stability in�the Middle East, fuels terrorism, and commits to�the destruction of�Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to�Congress in�March and warned, �The foremost sponsor of�global terrorism could be weeks away from�having enough enriched uranium for�an entire arsenal of�nuclear weapons and this with�full international legitimacy � And by�the way, Iran�s intercontinental ballistic missile program is not part of�the deal � Iran could have the means to�deliver that nuclear arsenal to�the far-reach corners of�the earth, including to�every part of�the United States.�

The prime minister also noted the restrictions on�Iran�s nuclear program as�outlined in�the deal would be lifted in�about a decade.

Supporters of�the deal, however, argue it serves to�scale back Iran�s nuclear program �particularly its capacity to�build weapons- in�exchange for�much-needed economic relief.

Mint Press News editor-in-chief Mnar Muhawesh outlined this view in�a recent article.

She notes the deal, at�least in�writing, expands UN inspectors� access to�more of�Iran�s nuclear facilities than�that which is outlined in�the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to�which Iran is a signatory of. She also notes the deal calls for�Iran to�reduce the number of�its centrifuges enriching uranium by�half, and to�repurpose heavy-water reactors to�not produce weapons-grade plutonium.

As a result, the West agrees to�lift sanctions which�Muhawesh�says would bring Iran closer to�the �medical, food and banking industries� after�facing nearly 40 years of�sanctions.

Muhawesh argues economic renewal is Iran�s main goal and even goes as�far as�to say Iran does not intend to�grow a nuclear arsenal. �She cites spy cables leaked to�the Guardian this year suggesting the Mossad and CIA delivered at�least one communication among�each other in�which they agreed Iran is �not performing the activity necessary to�produce weapons.�

In fact,�Muhawesh�believes that leaders truly oppose the nuclear deal not out�of doomsday fears, but�out of�fear that easing sanctions on�Iran will lead to�an economically mighty Islamic Republic that would challenge the status-quo in�the Middle East�where the major players are more-or-less U.S. allies, especially economically.

One of�these is Saudi Arabia, an oil-supplying power house to�the world.

Iran also has oil, but�sanctions on�imports and exports forced it to�produce its own supplies for�itself.

�This had the unexpected effect of�turning the country into�a major auto and defense manufacturer, competing with�countries like�China and even the United States,� writes�Muhawesh.

She also states that sanctions led to�lack of�jobs forcing young professionals � which she says make up�one of�the greater Middle East�s most highly educated and modernized societies- to�leave the country.

�Without sanctions holding it back, Iran threatens the major regional superpower status quo. It could very well spark a shake-up in�the current power structure in�the Middle East, leaving Israel and its ally Saudi Arabia out�in the cold,� writes�Muhawesh.

By Sputnik News