Netanyahu Urges US Congressmen to Prevent Iran from Obtaining Nuclear Weapons

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with a US Democratic Congressional delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. (Israeli prime minister’s office)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with a US Democratic Congressional delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. (Israeli prime minister’s office)
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Netanyahu Urges US Congressmen to Prevent Iran from Obtaining Nuclear Weapons

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with a US Democratic Congressional delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. (Israeli prime minister’s office)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with a US Democratic Congressional delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. (Israeli prime minister’s office)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed with a Democratic US Congressional delegation on Monday the need to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The delegation was led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The meeting was the first between the Israeli PM and US officials after reports said last month that Tel Aviv informed the American administration and several European countries that it would resort to military action if diplomatic efforts to curb Iran's nuclear program fail.

Last week, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi threatened Iran's enemies, particularly Israel, warning that the “smallest mistake against the security of Iran will result in the destruction of Haifa and Tel Aviv.”

On Saturday, General Ramezan Sharif, the spokesman for the Iranian Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), warned Israel against any military action against Iran.

On Sunday, the Israeli military said it was bracing for possible security instability in the Red Sea area given the Iranian naval presence there, reported Israel’s iNews24 website.

Citing intelligence assessments, the report spoke of direct and indirect threats to Israel from Iran’s proxies in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.

“One danger is civilian-Iranian ships that have been converted for military function, operating in the Red Sea, outfitted with surface-to-sea missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and UAVs,” the website wrote.



Iranian President: We Must Manage Relationship and Confrontation with the US Ourselves

Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.
Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.
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Iranian President: We Must Manage Relationship and Confrontation with the US Ourselves

Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.
Photo published by the Iranian presidency on Tuesday of a meeting chaired by Pezeshkian.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Tuesday for the “management” of the tense relations between Tehran and Washington, emphasizing the need to “deal with enemies with patience.” This statement comes a week after Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.
According to official media, Pezeshkian told current and former senior officials in the diplomatic sector that Iran cannot ignore its longstanding adversary, the United States.
“Whether we like it or not, we will have to engage with the United States on both regional and international fronts; therefore, it is better that we manage this relationship and confrontation ourselves,” he stated.
Pezeshkian was speaking at an “advisory” meeting on foreign policy with former Iranian FMs and members of his administration, including Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharazi, the top advisors to the Supreme Leader on international affairs and foreign policy, along with former foreign minister and head of the Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi.
The Iranian presidency’s website quoted Pezeshkian as saying that his administration’s approach to foreign policy would be “within the framework of a comprehensive strategy aligned with the directives of the governing system,” indirectly referencing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The reformist-backed president stated: “We must treat our friends generously and approach our enemies with patience,” underscoring the importance of managing foreign relations and addressing international tensions to solve internal issues and promote development.
Several officials in Pezeshkian’s administration, along with pro-government newspapers, have hinted at discussions on the possibility of high-level negotiations with the Trump administration.
Earlier on Tuesday, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that Iran would pursue whatever serves its “interests,” in response to a question on potential direct talks with the Trump administration.
“The government will strive to achieve whatever ensures the country’s interests and the values of the revolution,” she said, according to the government’s ISNA news agency.
She added that the final decision on negotiations rests with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council under his authority.