Foreign Minister Yair Lapid warned Monday that Israel is prepared to act alone against Iran and its nuclear ambitions if the need arises.
Lapid's warning comes amid the continuation of the talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna, meant to revive the tattered 2015 nuclear agreement.
"Of course, we prefer to act in international cooperation, but if necessary - we will act alone," Lapid told Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
The foreign minister added that Israel presented its allies with "intelligence that proves Iran is deceiving the world in a completely systematic way."
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World powers meet with Iranian officials in Vienna to discuss a return to the 2015 nuclear deal
(Photo: Reuters)
"All Iran cares about is that sanctions are lifted, and billions of dollars are poured into its nuclear program, Hezbollah, Syria, Iraq, the terrorist network they have deployed around the world," added Lapid.
The minister further stated that, while the main challenge of Israeli foreign and security policy is the nuclear agreements, Jerusalem will not outright oppose every agreement.
"A good agreement is good. We oppose an agreement that does not allow for real oversight... of the Iranian nuclear program," said Lapid, adding that he would rather the U.S. and other powers walk away from nuclear talks than reach a "bad deal."
Israel opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) when Iran and six world powers first signed it in 2015. Former U.S. president Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 shortly before imposing several harsh sanctions on Iran.
Republished with permission from i24NEWS