According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu called the new deal a “mini agreement, not an agreement.”
After a closed-door, three-hour meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu said, “What’s on the agenda at the moment between Washington and Tehran is not a nuclear deal, it’s a mini-deal. We will be able to handle it.”
The prime minister continued, “This isn’t the deal we knew,” referring to the 2015 Obama Era JCPOA, known as The Iran Nuclear Deal, which was strongly opposed by Jerusalem. Then-President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the flawed deal in 2018.
Netanyahu added that Israel “could live with” the new agreement stressing that Israel would not view itself as bound by any agreement the US might reach with Iran over the rogue nation’s nuclear program.
Speaking at the beginning of a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu said that Iran had replaced the Arab nations as the main threat to the Jewish state saying, “More than 90 percent of our security issues stem from Iran and its [proxies].” He also compared Iran to spreading cancer stating, “Our position is clear: Israel will not be bound by any deal with Iran and will continue to defend itself.”
Netanyahu said Israel remained opposed to a return to the original 2015 nuclear deal, which the US pulled out of under former president Donald Trump.
“We are working to stop Iran and, on the other hand, we are making great efforts to expand the circle of peace. These things present us with great challenges, but also possibilities,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister lobbied hard against the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, a deal from which Israel was excluded. The Jewish state insists that diplomatic efforts will not prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and instead advocates for using the threat of military action against the rogue nation. Efforts by US President Joe Biden to revive the original agreement have failed.
According to reports from Israeli media, the deal includes a stipulation that Iran will not enrich uranium above 60 percent, and in return, the US will release Iranian funds that are being held under sanctions. The deal would also reportedly include a prisoner exchange.
The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran has 114.1 kilograms (251 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. Experts agree that there is no civilian use in Tehran for that level of uranium, despite the rogue nation claiming otherwise.
On Monday, American officials confirmed that the US was in contact with Iran regarding the nuclear talks, but denied that negotiations on an interim agreement were occurring.
Iran also acknowledged that talks were ongoing and credited the country’s Foreign Ministry, thanking Oman for serving as a mediator.
The US official, who wished to remain anonymous, told the outlet “There are no talks about an interim deal. We have made clear to them what escalatory steps they needed to avoid to prevent a crisis and what de-escalatory steps they could take to create a more positive context.”
Earlier this week, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei supported an agreement with the US, but emphasized: “The existing infrastructure of the nuclear industry should not be touched.”
He added that the international community was unable to keep Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon if it desired to have one and warned against giving in to “bullying” based on “unfounded claims.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the country wasn’t interested in an interim agreement with the US but would consider a return to the 2015 nuclear deal.
