Talking tough, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned Iran that Israel would not allow it to acquire nuclear weapons even as he accused Tehran of destabilising the region and spreading terrorism globally.
The warning from Israel, the Middle East’s sole but undeclared nuclear power, came as world powers, including the US, lifted sanctions on Iran under a historic nuclear deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. “Israel’s policy has been and will remain exactly what has been followed: to not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu, known for his hawkish stand on the Iranian nuclear issue, said during a cabinet meeting.
Earlier, Netanyahu’s office had said that Iran will continue to destabilise the Middle East and spread terrorism throughout the world. “Israel will continue to monitor Iran’s negative activities and will take all necessary measures to maintain its security and defend itself,” it said. It warned that “Iran has not abandoned its aspirations to acquire nuclear weapons and continues to destabilise the Middle East and spread terrorism throughout the world.”
The historic nuclear accord between Iran and six major powers, struck in July last year, entered into force on Saturday as the UN confirmed that Tehran has shrunk its atomic programme.