The nuclear deal the Obama Administration negotiated with Iran is flawed by the premature easing of sanctions in return for easily reversed Iranian pledges that do not substantially set back Iran’s nuclear weapons program, according to a panel of experts who spoke at a recent Heritage event. The deal also implicitly recognizes Iran’s claim that it has a fundamental right to enrich uranium, the experts warned.

Heritage’s James Phillips, an expert on the Middle East, spoke at the event along with Patrick Clawson, director of research at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Fred Fleitz, a chief analyst of the Langley Intelligence Group Network.

They explained why the flawed agreement will make it more likely that Iran will obtain nuclear weapons.

According to Fleitz, “A deal like this is based on many questionable assumptions. It assumes Rouhani is a relative moderate. It also assumes Iran has a legitimate right to uranium enrichment.”

Phillips said the Obama Administration worked to block new sanctions being imposed on Iran, and he now worries about the consequences.

“I would argue,” Phillips said, “that not being tough enough on Iran, either with the sanctions or further talks at Geneva, could actually increase the chances of war, increase the chances that Israel will go it alone and launch a preventive strike at Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.”

Clawson explained that while the deal is initially set for a six-month period, it can be renewed indefinitely, effectively allowing Iran to go on for years without the world stopping them from obtaining nuclear weapons.

“That, indeed, is the greatest fear of many of the critiques around the country and around the world,” Clawson said. “This agreement is likely not to be the elements of a ‘first step,’ but instead the details of a last step.”