Netanyahu highlights Iran threat in Capitol Hill meetings

Netanyahu met with American leaders in Washington to discuss how to tackle the Iranian threat. 

By: World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday held a series of meetings on Capitol Hill following his address at the AIPAC Conference, in which he underscored the existential threat emanating from a nuclear Iran and vowed not to let such a scenario transpire.

“We must stop Iran, we will stop Iran,” Netanyahu told AIPAC.

Netanyahu met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and members of the House leadership including Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Steve Scalise (R-LA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and James Clyburn (D-SC).

Netanyahu described Iran’s aggression in the region, including its attempts to establish a military presence in Syria, and noted that Israel is determined to thwart this.

He presented to them the dangers in the Iranian nuclear agreement and said it was necessary to either fully fix the errors in the agreement or abrogate it.

McConnell tweeted after the meeting: “Israel’s beacon of democracy must always shine through the darkness. And America will be right there, standing proudly alongside her,” thanking Netanyahu for his visit.

This meeting came a day after Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump and discussed the Iran issue.

“If I had to say what is our greatest challenge in the Middle East to both our countries, to our Arab neighbors, it’s encapsulated in one word: Iran. Iran has not given up its nuclear ambitions. It came out of this nuclear deal emboldened, enriched,” Netanyahu said.

Trump has said he will not renew US waivers for sanctions on Iran when they next expire on May 12 unless European countries agree to a new or rectified deal that would sanction Iran if it resumes advanced nuclear tests. The president is also seeking tougher inspections and penalties for Iranian missile testing.