Netanyahu warns of easing sanctions on Iran
Kerry, Zarif meet for talks on nuclear program, also possibly discuss Islamic State group, as Netanyahu warns not to appease Iran to fight Islamic threat.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned the West against easing sanctions on Iran to win its support in the fight against jihadists in Syria and Iraq.
He made the comments US Secretary of State John Kerry met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif for talks expected to focus on the prospects of reaching an agreement on reducing Tehran's atomic activities in exchange for an end to nuclear-related sanctions on the Tehran.
Zarif with Kerry (Archive: Reuters)
Their meeting Sunday comes on the third day of the latest round of nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
As the Islamic republic and six world powers started a new round of talks in New York, Netanyahu said "respected commentators in the West" were counseling a softer approach on Iran to enlist Tehran in an alliance against Islamic State militants.
"I know what Begin would have said…They are fighting the IS out of their own interest," he told an audience in Jerusalem's Begin Center, which was marking ten years of activites.
"They are struggling over who will be leader of the Islamist world which they seek to impose on the whole world," he said, referring to Iran.
Israel bitterly opposed an interim deal which world powers struck with Tehran last November, paving the way for talks on a comprehensive agreement on Iran's future nuclear activities.
Iran and the six powers - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany - are meeting at United Nations headquarters on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
Israel has refused to rule out military action against Iranian nuclear facilities to prevent any possibility of it developing the technology for an atomic bomb.
