BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday addressed the United Nations’ (UN) General Assembly, imploring the world not to be fooled by Iran’s President Rouhani and to maintain stiff sanctions against Iran to thwart its nuclear military ambitions.

Netanyahu’s speech came after Rouhani last week indicated a willingness to open dialogue with the international community over his country’s nuclear development. However, Netanyahu yesterday branded Rouhani a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and outlined Rouhani’s role as “a loyal servant of the regime” in Tehran. Netanyahu stressed overwhelming evidence of Iran’s nuclear military programme which he said “has continued unabated” in a “vast and feverish” manner since Rouhani’s election.

Netanyahu described international sanctions as the “one big problem” standing in the way of Iran’s nuclear ambitions and implored the world to “lift the sanctions only when Iran fully dismantles its nuclear weapons program.” With Iran “on the ropes,” he urged the world “don’t let up the pressure. Keep it up.” He said that Iran must fulfil four conditions in order for diplomacy to work – halt uranium enrichment, remove of all enriched material from the country, close the Qom and Natanz facilities and stop work at the heavy water reactor in Arak, where suspected plutonium development is taking place. Netanyahu then explained that Israel “will never acquiesce to nuclear arms in the hands of a rogue regime that repeatedly promises to wipe us off the map.” He pledged that “Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone.”

Netanyahu then turned attention to reiterating his commitment towards reaching “an historic compromise with our Palestinian neighbours, one that ends our conflict once and for all.” He said that he is prepared to make “painful compromises” but that “the Palestinians must finally recognize the Jewish state, and Israel’s security needs must be met.”