Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on July 1 that the Israeli government would produce more evidence that the Iranian regime has been lying about their intentions to develop nuclear weapons, Bloomberg reports.
Speaking at an event honoring Israeli reservists, Netanyahu highlighted Iran’s July 1 announcement that they have exceeded the 300-kilogram uranium limit set under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu said, “When we exposed Iran’s secret nuclear arsenal, we proved that the entire nuclear agreement with Iran is based on one big lie. Now even Iran admits it. More proof will be revealed soon that Iran has lied all the time.”
Netanyahu was referencing his April 2018 press conference where he revealed various documentation showing that Iran has consistently sought to obtain nuclear weapons despite their statements to the contrary. This included the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Facility that was buried beneath mountains so Iran could continue developing uranium in secret.
The Israeli prime called on European countries to “stand by your commitments” to impose sanctions on Iran should they violate the nuclear deal.
“Do it,” Netanyahu said. “Just do it.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on July 1 that Iran has in fact exceeded the 300-kilogram limit set under the nuclear deal. Former IAEA Deputy Olli Heinonen told Israeli Army Radio on June 5 that he estimated that Iran could develop nuclear weapons in six to eight months. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on July 1 that the regime will unwind its nuclear development if the European countries forge a new deal with Iran.
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told reporters on July 1, “The Iranian regime took action today to increase its uranium enrichment. It was a mistake under the Iran nuclear deal to allow Iran to enrich uranium at any level. There is little doubt that even before the deal’s existence, Iran was violating its terms. We must restore the longstanding nonproliferation standard of no enrichment for Iran. The United States and its allies will never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.”
