Netanyahu stresses knowledge of Iran deal
After US Secretary of State argues that PM is unaware of details of forming nuclear deal with Iran, prime minister insists he has knowledge of details, reiterating deal is bad, dangerous
In an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" Netanyahu said "The deal as was proposed and described to us by American sources… means that Iran maintains its capability to enrich material for nuclear bombs, it also maintains another route – the plutonium heavy water route – to make nuclear bombs. All Iran gives is a minor concession of taking 20% enriched uranium and bringing it down to a lower enrichment, but that they can cover within a few weeks, given the capabilities that they keep for enrichment."
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Netanyahu, who is in the midst of a media blitz on behalf of Israel's efforts to prevent an agreement, suggested that several other countries were against such a deal between the West and Iran. "There are many, many Arab leaders in the region who are saying this is a very bad deal for the region and the world. You know, when you have the Arabs and Israelis speaking in one voice, it doesn't happen very often, I think it's worth paying attention to us."
A senior US official, who said he arrived in Israel to converse with Israelis, clarified that the American government was seeking the advice of all its partners. He said that during the talks the international representatives looked at all the facilities and the enrichment processes already underway. The official added that despite the progress he does not trust the Iranians.
According to the official, the Americans know that they will not halt Iran's enrichment program completely. But he does not believe there is a difference in interests between the US and the Jewish State, claiming both want a nuclear-free Iran.
On the other hand, the senior official estimated that calls for further sanctions will cause the Iranian to leave the negotiations table. He said that more time must be given for the diplomatic efforts to see if a breakthrough might occur.
Iran: Threshold nuclear power
In his interview with CBS, Netanyahu warned that as the deal nears, " Iran effectively becomes a threshold nuclear power nation, makes a minor concession, and in exchange for that the P5+1 – the international community – reverses the directions of sanctions, gives Iran several billion dollars worth in direct assistance, opens up automotive petro-chemicals, gold, diamonds, the automotive industry and other things. This is a huge change from the pressure that was applied on Iran through the effective sanctions regime which brought them to the table in the first place. In other words, Iran gives practically nothing and it gets a hell of a lot."
Netanyahu cautioned that "Iran maintains all its capabilities. It built itself up in the face of international decisions and resolutions, it defied them, it went right up close to the top, it doesn't bring down or dismantle one centrifuge it continues to have the mountains of material from which they can take into the centrifuges and make atomic bombs."
Later on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated his earlier message at the Jewish Federation Assembly in Jerusalem, pressing the idea that pressure must be maintained on Iran.
Noam Dvir contributed to this report
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