Netanyahu calls for ‘dismantling’ Iran’s nuclear infrastructure

OCCUPIED AL-QUDS: Israel´s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Sunday for the complete dismantling of Iran´s nuclear programme, insisting that any deal with Tehran must also address its ballistic missiles capabilities.

“You have to dismantle their nuclear infrastructure and that means ... they will not have the capacity to enrich uranium,” he said in a speech in Jerusalem, adding that any deal should also “bring in the prevention of ballistic missiles”.

Israel has not ruled out an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the coming months despite President Donald Trump telling Netanyahu that the US was for now unwilling to support such a move, an Israeli official and two other people familiar with the matter said last week.Israeli officials have vowed to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and Netanyahu has insisted that any negotiation with Iran must lead to the complete dismantling of its nuclear programme.Western governments have long suspected Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied, insisting its programme is for peaceful purposes only.

Iran and the United States, which have been foes since the Islamic revolution of 1979, held a third round of nuclear talks mediated by Oman on Saturday. Both Tehran and Washington reported progress in the talks, with a US official calling them “positive and productive” while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said work would take place to “reduce the differences” between the sides ahead of another round of talks next week.

A 2015 accord between Iran and major powers that limited its nuclear activities in return for easing international sanctions effectively collapsed after US President Donald Trump abandoned it three years later.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has called on Iran to negotiate a new deal while threatening to take military action if it does not. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions during an interview with The Free Press podcast. Rubio emphasised that while the United States does not seek war, Iran must abandon uranium enrichment if it wants to pursue a civilian nuclear programme. He criticised the 2015 nuclear deal, which the US exited in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term in office, for offering Tehran “permanent concessions” in exchange for “temporary” ones. Rubio expressed cautious optimism regarding diplomacy but warned that military conflict remains a potential outcome if talks fail.