Netanyahu Opposes Interim US-Iranian Agreement, Disparity Among Cabinet Members

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting (Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting (Reuters)
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Netanyahu Opposes Interim US-Iranian Agreement, Disparity Among Cabinet Members

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting (Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting (Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his opposition to any interim agreement between the US and Iran regarding Tehran's nuclear program, warning that it "just pave Iran's way to the bomb and will pad it with hundreds of millions of dollars."

Iranian and Western officials said Washington, Israel's main ally, was in talks with Tehran to outline steps to curb Iran's nuclear program.

Media reports stated that the two nations are reaching an "understanding" rather than an agreement, which requires a US Congress review, such as the 2015 deal that former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018.

Reuters quoted a Western official last week saying that the US objective is to keep the nuclear situation from worsening and avoid a potential clash between Israel and Iran.

"If (the) Iranians miscalculate, the potential for a strong Israeli response is something we want to avoid," the official said.

- Strict opposition

The Israeli government website quoted Netanyahu as saying at the opening of the weekly meeting: "We made clear to our American friends time after time, and I am doing it again today, that we oppose agreements, first of all to the original agreement called the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), which will just pave Iran's way to the bomb and will pad it with hundreds of millions of dollars."

He reiterated that his "principled opposition" to the JCPOA contributed to the United States not returning to that agreement.

"We also tell [the Americans] that more limited understandings, what's called a 'mini-deal,' does not serve our purpose, in our opinion, and we oppose that, as well," he said.

The PM stressed that Israel would do whatever it needed to do on its own to defend itself from Iranian aggression, whether on the nuclear file or its proxies.

Netanyahu's remarks came after a senior member of the Knesset confirmed that Israel might accept an understanding between Iran and the US if that included strict supervision of Tehran's nuclear program.

Head of the Israeli parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee MK Yuli Edelstein told Channel 12 that it is not a "wide-scope agreement," and it's more like a small agreement or a memorandum of understanding.

"I think Israel can live with this if there is real supervision."

- Uranium enrichment

One of the key elements of the potential understanding, which is still uncertain, is the degree to which Iran would agree to limit its uranium enrichment.

A Western official said the idea was to create a status quo acceptable for all, getting Iran to avoid the Western redline of enriching to 90 percent purity, commonly viewed as weapons grade, and possibly even to "pause" its enrichment at 60 percent.

In addition to the 60 percent pause, the official told Reuters last week that both are discussing more Iranian cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and not installing more advanced centrifuges in return for the "substantial transfer" of Iranian funds held abroad.

He did not specify whether the pause meant Iran would commit not to enriching above 60 percent or whether it would stop enriching to 60 percent itself.

- Disparity within Netanyahu's close circle

Israeli officials within Netanyahu's inner circle gave mixed views on the issue.

Netanyahu's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said Israel didn't see as much "damage" in any new understanding as there was in the 2015 deal, but it was "poised" for any Iranian shift to more than 60 percent fissile purity.

"That would already be a clear acknowledgment that the uranium enrichment is for weapons needs," Hanegbi told Israel Hayom Friday, referring to the 90% fissile purity required for a bomb.

But last week, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who accompanied Hanegbi to Washington talks about Iran, voiced misgivings about any "freeze" of current enrichment levels.

"It means that you reconcile with a higher level of enrichment in Iran. And we thought that was a bad idea then, and we think it's a bad idea today," he said.

After failing to revive the 2015 agreement, US President Joe Biden's administration hopes to re-impose some restrictions on Iran to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon that could threaten Israel and trigger an arms race in the region.

The US government denies reports it is seeking an interim agreement with Tehran, which denies it wants to build a nuclear bomb.

Last week, State Department spokesman Matt Miller denied several times that there was any deal with Iran.

However, he said Washington wanted Tehran to ease tensions, curb its nuclear program, stop supporting regional groups carrying out attacks, halt supporting Russia's war on Ukraine, and release detained US citizens.

"We continue to use diplomatic engagements to pursue all of these goals," Miller added without giving details.

An Iranian official told Reuters last week that the two sides wanted to prevent further escalation and that the steps would include exchanging prisoners and releasing part of Iran's frozen assets.

The official said further steps include US sanctions waivers for Iran to export oil in return for ceasing 60 percent uranium enrichment and greater Iranian cooperation with the IAEA.



Türkiye Ups Border Security as Iran-Israel Conflict Rages

FILE PHOTO - Syrians wait at a checkpoint at the Syrian border crossing of Bab al-Hawa on the Syrian-Turkish border in Idlib Governorate January 21, 2015. REUTERS/Abed Kontar
FILE PHOTO - Syrians wait at a checkpoint at the Syrian border crossing of Bab al-Hawa on the Syrian-Turkish border in Idlib Governorate January 21, 2015. REUTERS/Abed Kontar
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Türkiye Ups Border Security as Iran-Israel Conflict Rages

FILE PHOTO - Syrians wait at a checkpoint at the Syrian border crossing of Bab al-Hawa on the Syrian-Turkish border in Idlib Governorate January 21, 2015. REUTERS/Abed Kontar
FILE PHOTO - Syrians wait at a checkpoint at the Syrian border crossing of Bab al-Hawa on the Syrian-Turkish border in Idlib Governorate January 21, 2015. REUTERS/Abed Kontar

Türkiye has stepped up security on its border with Iran since the start of Tehran's conflict with Israel, but has not yet seen any increase in people trying to cross the frontier, a Turkish Defense Ministry source said on Thursday.

Türkiye - a NATO member which shares a 560-km (350-mile) border with Iran - has condemned Israel's attacks on Iran, saying they violate international law.

It has also offered to help arrange a resumption of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, according to Reuters.

"Intense security precautions have been taken via additional measures at all our borders including with Iran," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

There were no signs of "a mass immigration wave toward Türkiye," the source added.

Türkiye already hosts millions of refugees, most of them from another neighbour, Syria, and says it cannot take any more.

On Wednesday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel's attacks on Iran as "state terrorism" and said Türkiye would raise its own defences to such a level that "nobody will even consider" attacking it.

Türkiye has long said it is working to build up its defences, including long-range missiles - though officials and analysts say its plan for a "Steel Dome" defense system along the lines of Israel's "Iron Dome" is years away.

Barin Kayaoglu, a professor of international relations at Ankara Social Sciences University, said that while Türkiye's air defense systems could be effective if Ankara ever faced conflict scenarios like the fighting between Iran and Israel, more units were needed.

"Türkiye needs to gain range, altitude and anti-ballistic missile capabilities," he told Reuters. Any "Steel Dome" system "probably needs another five-six years", he said.