Lapid urges world to keep up pressure on Iran as nuclear talks resume

Speaking in London alongside his British counterpart, FM says nuclear Tehran will 'thrust entire Middle East into a nuclear arms race'; Bennett earlier cautioned world powers to beware of Iranian 'nuclear blackmail'
Reuters|
Israel urged world leaders to keep up pressure on Iran and not lift sanctions as part of nuclear negotiations that were set to resume in Vienna on Monday, saying that tighter supervision of Tehran was needed.
  • Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter

  • Negotiators were to convene in a last-ditch effort to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal abandoned three years later by the United States under then-President Donald Trump, who then reimposed sweeping U.S. sanctions on Iran. That led to breaches of the deal by Tehran, and dismayed the other powers involved.
    3 View gallery
    יאיר לפיד בעת פגישתו עם שרת החוץ הבריתית, אליזבת טראס
    יאיר לפיד בעת פגישתו עם שרת החוץ הבריתית, אליזבת טראס
    Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in London alongside his British counterpart Liz Truss
    (Photo: Stuart Mitchell)
    Israel has warned that Iran, its arch-enemy, will try to secure a windfall in sanctions relief at the talks, without sufficiently rolling back nuclear bomb-making potential through its accelerating enrichment of uranium.
    Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, speaking in London alongside his British counterpart Liz Truss, said Iran was only attending the talks because they wanted access to money.
    "This is what they have done in the past. And this is what they will do this time as well. The intelligence is clear, it leaves no doubt," he told reporters after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on trade, technology and defense with Britain.
    3 View gallery
    Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali khamenei (L) handing over the presidential precept to new Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi (R), in Tehran, Iran
    Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali khamenei (L) handing over the presidential precept to new Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi (R), in Tehran, Iran
    Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali khamenei (L) handing over the presidential precept to new Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi (R), in Tehran, Iran
    (Photo: EPA)
    "A nuclear Iran will thrust the entire Middle East into a nuclear arms race; we will find ourselves in a new Cold War. But this time the bomb will be in the hands of religious fanatics who are engaged in terrorism as a way of life," Lapid said.
    "The world must prevent this and it can prevent this: tighter sanctions, tighter supervision, conduct any talks from a position of strength."
    In Jerusalem earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett cautioned world powers to beware of what he described as Iranian "nuclear blackmail".
    3 View gallery
    נפתלי בנט ראש הממשלה בכנס הביטחוני מדיני של המכון למדיניות ואסטרטגיה
    נפתלי בנט ראש הממשלה בכנס הביטחוני מדיני של המכון למדיניות ואסטרטגיה
    Prime Minister Naftali Bennett
    (Photo: AFP)
    Iran says it is enriching uranium solely for civil uses.
    Truss said Britain was "absolutely determined" to prevent Iran from securing a nuclear weapon.
    "As far as I am concerned, these talks are the last opportunity for the Iranians to come to the table and agree the JCPOA...," she said, referring to the 2015 deal. "We will look at all options if that doesn't happen."
    Comments
    The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
    ""