Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that the time had come for the international community to reassert and fortify its demands for a better deal with Iran.
On the proposed framework for a deal with Iran he also said that "In the last few days, Iran has shown again why it can’t be trusted," and added, "We must not let Iran, the foremost sponsor of global terrorism, have an easy path to nuclear weapons which will threaten the entire world."
Netanyahu voiced fear that Iran will comply with a nuclear deal reached with six major world powers earlier this month until a final deal is sealed by the end of June, a media report revealed on Sunday.
This came about during a cabinet meeting held on April 3, a day after Iran and P5+1 group of world powers - the US, Britain, China, France and Russia plus Germany - reached after nine-day talks in Switzerland's Lausanne a framework accord on parameters of Iran's nuclear programme with a view to sealing a final comprehensive deal by the end of June, Xinhua reported citing the Ha'aretz daily.
During the meeting, Netanyahu said he was afraid that "the Iranians will keep to every letter in the agreement if indeed one is signed at the end of June", two Israeli officials were quoted as saying by the daily.
The officials told the daily that Netanyahu expressed his concern that if the Iranians live up to the agreement, the international community would become "complacent" over the prospects of a nuclear bomb, as per IANS.
"Netanyahu said at the meeting that it would be impossible to catch the Iranians cheating simply because they will not break the agreement," one of the officials told the Ha'aretz daily.
According to him, Netanyahu said the Iranians could have a seal of approval from the international community to go ahead and develop nuclear bombs after the 10- to 15-year period of the agreement.
The Israeli PM is known for his hardline approach against the Iranian nuclear programme. He believes that a nuclear Iran will be an "existential threat" to the state of Israel and to the entire Middle East, although the Iranians insist their nuclear plan is aimed at peaceful purposes.
Netanyahu slammed the recent framework agreement, saying it would "threaten the survival of Israel", adding that Israel "will not accept an agreement that allows a country that vows to annihilate it to develop nuclear weapons, period".
He decried the fact that the programme keeps intact a fixed amount of centrifuges to enrich uranium and enables Iran to carry on its nuclear research and development, while lifting the economic sanctions Iran had suffered from for a decade over its nuclear programme.
PM Netanyahu on the proposed framework for a deal with Iran: In the last few days, Iran has shown again why it can’t be trusted. »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
PM Netanyahu: Iran insists on maintaining its formidable nuclear capabilities with which it could produce nuclear bombs. »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
PM: Iran insists on removing all sanctions immediately. And Iran refuses to allow effective inspections of all its suspect facilities. »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
Instead of allowing Iran to preserve and develop its nuclear capabilities, a better deal would significantly roll back these capabilities. »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
For example, by shutting down the illicit underground facilities that Iran concealed for years from the international community. »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
PM Netanyahu: Instead of lifting the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear facilities and program at a fixed date, »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
A better deal would link lifting the restrictions to an end of Iran’s aggression, its worldwide terrorism and threats to annihilate Israel »
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
PM: Instead of making dangerous concessions to Iran, now is time for the intl community to reassert & fortify its demands for a better deal»
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
» We must not let Iran, the foremost sponsor of global terrorism, have an easy path to nuclear weapons which will threaten the entire world.
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 12, 2015
(With Agency inputs)
