Benjamin Netanyahu warns against nuclear deal with Iran

JERUSALEM

The deal being hammered out between world powers and Iran on its nuclear programme would “pave the way” to a nuclear-armed Tehran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

“The greatest threat to our security and our future was and remains Iran’s attempt to be armed with nuclear weapons,” he said in a speech to parliament.

“The agreement being formulated in Lausanne paves the way to that goal,” Netanyahu said, referring to talks between Iran and world powers in the Swiss city on a framework deal which he opposes.

“We will do everything to protect our security and our future,” Mr Netanyahu said.

Mr Netanyahu’s remarks, made at the swearing-in ceremony of the Israeli parliament, came hours before the deadline for a framework agreement aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, in exchange for easing crippling sanctions.

According to Mr Netanyahu, the emerging agreement will “most likely leave Iran with underground facilities, the nuclear reactor in Arak, advanced centrifuges — all those things that were just a few months ago rightly presented to us as not essential to a peaceful nuclear programme.”

Mr Netanyahu said the “breakout time” for Iran to obtain fissile material for a bomb would not be “years” but rather “a year, possibly even much less than that,” under the framework agreement. According to Netanyahu, “most” Arab states shared Israel’s concerns regarding a nuclear-armed Iran.

“They understand the Iranian threat, the share our perspective on other threats from extremist Islamist elements,” he said.

“This also creates opportunities,” said the Israeli premier.

“I hope this cooperation between Arab states and us will help us advance peace with our Palestinian neighbours.”

DANGLING BENEFITS

Meanwhile, Iran will not be able to reap the benefits of any nuclear deal with world powers without the cooperation of its Gulf neighbours, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Prince Saud al-Faisal’s comments came on deadline day to reach a framework agreement aimed at stopping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, in exchange for easing crippling sanctions.

Iran insists its nuclear efforts are for purely peaceful purposes.

“If the P5+1 wanted to give Iran a role in the region they should have first looked to favour an entente between Iran and the Arab states,” Saud told the Shura Council, an appointed consultative body.

He was referring to Britain, France, China, Russia, the United States and Germany, which face a 2200 GMT deadline in negotiations with Iran to end a 12-year dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Saud asked the six major nations to not “short-circuit the interests of the states of the region by dangling before Iran benefits that it will not be able to reap without cooperation with the countries of the region.”

Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia has long vied for regional influence with Shiite-dominated Iran.