Nuclear deal with Iran ‘dangerous’: Netanyahu

Terming the efforts of world powers to strike a nuclear deal with Iran as “dangerous”, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said it was “astonishing” that talks were on even after IAEA found that Tehran was hiding military components of its atomic programme.

A confidential document by the IAEA, distributed among its member states on Thursday, reportedly said that the Islamic Republic was continuing to withhold full cooperation in two areas of a long-running investigation by the UN watchdog that it had committed to presenting by August last year.

“Iran has not provided any explanations that enable the agency to clarify the outstanding practical measures,” the IAEA reportedly said, referring to allegations of explosives tests and other activity that could be used to develop nuclear bombs.

Netanyahu, who has been at loggerheads with the US administration on the issue, said, “Not only are they continuing (the talks), there is an increased effort to reach a nuclear agreement in the coming days and weeks.” 

“Therefore, the coming month is critical for the nuclear talks between Iran and the major powers because a framework agreement is liable to be signed that will allow Iran to develop the nuclear capabilities that threaten our existence,” the Israeli Premier asserted.

Arguing that the deal being formulated between Iran and P5+1 (permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) was “dangerous” for Israel, the Israeli leader justified his address to the American Congress next week, an issue that has widened the rift between US President Barack Obama’s administration and the Israeli Premier.

He said he will travel to Washington to explain why the deal is “dangerous to Israel, dangerous to the region and dangerous to the world.”