Netanyahu blasts emerging nuclear deal as 'a reward for Iran's aggression'
As nuclear talks come down to the wire in Switzerland, PM reiterates condemnation of accord taking shape on Iran's disputed nuclear program.
By JPOST.COM STAFFNetanyahu blasts emerging nuclear deal as 'a reward for Iran's aggression'
The self-imposed Tuesday deadline to the Iran nuclear talks is compelling world powers to make concessions, but is not impacting at all on Tehran’s behavior, according to senior government sources.One senior government official told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that as the deadline approaches, “negotiators in Lausanne offer concessions, while Iran in Yemen intensifies its aggression.”The official was referring to the Iran-supported Houthis who have overridden much of Yemen, triggering a counterattack by a Saudi-led coalition of Sunni states.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu connected the two events – the talks and the situation in Yemen – in continuing his sharp criticism of the emerging agreement.“The agreement being formulated in Lausanne sends a message that there is no price for aggression and on the contrary – that Iran’s aggression is to be rewarded,” he said. “The moderate and responsible countries in the region, especially Israel and also many other countries, will be the first to be hurt by this agreement.”Netanyahu said it is impossible to understand why the negotiators in Switzerland are “closing their eyes to this aggression” in Yemen.“But we are not closing our eyes and we will continue to act against every threat in every generation, certainly in this generation,” he warned.Netanyahu’s words were echoed by Deputy Foreign Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who said in an Army Radio interview that “we are not committed to the deal, and we have said for a long time that Israel will know how to defend itself with its own forces.”Despite last minute glitches in the negotiations, Hanegbi said that the talks were going “in one direction,” toward a deal, and that it was unlikely that year-long negotiations would end without some kind of agreements.Hanegbi asserted that the Iranians can be very satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, which he described as a “moral defeat” and “total capitulation” by the world powers.
“What happened at the negotiation table is a mystery not only for us,” he said. “Throughout the Middle East, our approach, our skepticism, our criticism, characterize the Persian [Gulf] states, the Saudis, the Jordanians and anyone who understands the significance of a nuclear Iran in the Middle East today.”