Defense Minister Benny Gantz said late on Monday in a briefing that Iran has tripled its uranium enrichment capabilities.
"The number of advanced centrifuges in Iran's possession is substantial," Gantz told ambassadors representing members of the UN security council before his departure for Israel.
The defense minister met on Monday with UN Secretary General António Guterres and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
The defense minister told the diplomats that Israel's intelligence agencies have found that Iran had made a lot of progress in its nuclear program.
"Iran has increased its ability to enrich uranium by three-fold at the Fordow facility," he said, adding that according to the JCPOA, Iran is barred from enriching uranium at that site.
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U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Benny Gantz
(Photo: Daniel Rees)
"Iran currently enriches uranium to a level of 60%, but if it chooses to do so, it can raise the level to 90%," he said.
"We must act to prepare an operational, and economic response and prevent a new deal that would not set the Iranians back," Gantz said. "This matter must also be addressed by the UN security council," he said.
Gantz also accused the Islamic Republic of being most responsible for destabilizing the Middle East.
"It can promote terrorism and an arms race. I believe it can be stopped, and the time to act is now," he said. "Iran threatens world's economy, energy sources, price of food and trade, as well as the free flow of maritime traffic. If it obtains a nuclear weapon - things will get even worse," Gantz said.
"The IAEA must remain a professional body, and closing those investigations must be a red line in negotiations to return to a nuclear deal," Gantz said.