Israel Warns Sanctions Relief for Iran Could Mean ‘Terror on Steroids’

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. AFP
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Israel Warns Sanctions Relief for Iran Could Mean ‘Terror on Steroids’

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said funding for Iran could lead to "terror on steroids" on Tuesday, in an apparent warning against world powers easing sanctions against Tehran as they seek a new nuclear deal.

"The last thing you want to do ... is pour tens of billions of dollars into this apparatus. Because what will you get? Terror on steroids," Bennett said in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Bennett’s comments came as international talks to save the Iran nuclear deal were held in Vienna on Tuesday.

Negotiations to salvage the nuclear deal resumed on November 29 after they were suspended in June as Iran elected a new ultraconservative president.

Abolfazl Amoui, spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, told Al Javan newspaper, which is affiliated to the Revolutionary Guards, that the Vienna talks are far from reaching an agreement despite the progress they have made compared to previous rounds.

He said the challenges obstructing an agreement include the issue of lifting sanctions demanded by Tehran and steps that Iran must take to revert its nuclear program back to JCPOA levels.

Amoui also pointed out that there are challenges related to the implementation of the agreement.

“In our opinion, important issues include verifying that sanctions would be lifted and ensuring that previous conditions are not repeated,” he said.

Amoui added: “A temporary agreement is not what we want.”

He revealed that media reports about a temporary agreement “are not serious.”



Israel Ultra-Orthodox Party Threatens Government over Draft Law

Israeli army vehicles transport a group of soldiers and journalists inside the southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP)
Israeli army vehicles transport a group of soldiers and journalists inside the southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP)
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Israel Ultra-Orthodox Party Threatens Government over Draft Law

Israeli army vehicles transport a group of soldiers and journalists inside the southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP)
Israeli army vehicles transport a group of soldiers and journalists inside the southern Gaza Strip, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP)

Israel's ultra-Orthodox Shas party on Monday threatened to bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government by backing a motion for early elections amid a row over military service.

Netanyahu's coalition, one of the most right-wing in Israel's history, is at risk of collapsing over a bill that could reverse the long-standing exemption from the draft for ultra-Orthodox Jews.

The exemption is facing growing pushback as Israel wages war on the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu is under pressure from within his Likud party to draft more ultra-Orthodox men and impose penalties on draft dodgers -- a red line for Shas.

The party is demanding legislation to permanently exempt its followers from military service and gave Netanyahu two days to find a solution.

"We don't want to bring down a right-wing government, but we've reached our limit," Shas spokesperson Asher Medina told public radio.

"If there's no last-minute solution (on conscription), we'll vote to dissolve the Knesset," he said, referring to the Israeli parliament.

Last week, a Shas source told AFP the party was threatening to quit the coalition unless a solution was reached by Monday.

The opposition is seeking to place a bill to dissolve parliament on Wednesday's plenary agenda, hoping to capitalize on the ultra-Orthodox revolt to topple the government.

Netanyahu's coalition, formed in December 2022, includes Likud, far-right factions and ultra-Orthodox parties. A walkout by the latter would end its majority.

A poll published in March by right-wing daily Israel Hayom found 85 percent of Israeli Jews support changing the conscription law for Haredim.

Forty-one percent backed compulsory military service -- currently 32 months for men -- for all eligible members of the community.