“Iran has violated its solemn promise under the U.N. Security Council not to enrich uranium beyond a certain level,” said Prime Minister Netanyahu.
By World Israel News Staff
“Where are you?” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called out to world leaders on Sunday, on the heels of Iran’s announcement earlier in the day that it would increase its uranium enrichment to an unspecified level beyond the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal.
Addressing the weekly Israeli cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said: “Iran has violated its solemn promise under the U.N. Security Council not to enrich uranium beyond a certain level. The enrichment of uranium is made for one reason and one reason only: It’s for the creation of atomic bombs.”
Referring to the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany who reached the deal with Iran, the Israeli prime minister said: “The leaders of the P5+1 promised and committed themselves to snap back sanctions the minute Iran did that. It just did. Where are you?”
More specifically, Netanyahu’s complaint is with four of the five permanent Security Council members. U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal, negotiated under the Obama administration, in May 2018 and has imposed sanctions.
Trump has further warned Iran that it is “playing with fire” if it violates the deal.
Tehran has voiced displeasure over what it views as a lack of European action to save the deal.
Aside from the involvement of European Union members Britain, France, and Germany in reaching the deal, E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was a key player in negotiating the accord.
The nomination of Josep Borell to replace Mogherini is reportedly raising concern in the U.S., Israel, and Arab Gulf states over his sympathies with the Islamist regime in Iran.
Netanyahu has repeatedly warned of clandestine Iranian nuclear activity, using such podiums as the U.N. General Assembly.
“Today, I’m disclosing for the first time that Iran has another secret facility in Tehran, a secret atomic warehouse for storing massive amounts of equipment and material for Iran’s secret nuclear weapons program,” the prime minister told world leaders on September 2018 at the Assembly’s annual debate.
Iran announced Sunday that it would increase its uranium enrichment beyond the 3.67% cap set by the 2015 deal. “Within hours, the technical tasks will be done and enrichment above 3.67% will begin,” Iran nuclear agency spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said at a news conference.