Netanyahu: Iran in ‘Unprecedented’ Arms Build-Up

Netanyahu. Photo Courtesy of UN-Photo/Marco Castro

Netanyahu. Photo Courtesy of UN-Photo/Marco Castro

Iran’s effort at developing nuclear weapons has long been the chief concern with the Islamic Republic, but in the meantime they are working hard to create an advanced military while shipping weapons to terrorists—which is a threat that cannot be ignored in the nuclear talks with Iran, according to Israel.

“Iran is also conducting an unprecedented, I would say, conventional arms build-up,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in comments with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier that were released by Israel, said on Sunday. “It’s developing a huge arms industry, which includes drones, rockets, precision guided missiles, submarines and satellites as well.” Making matters worse, Netanyahu said Iran “gives many of these weapons” to its terrorist allies Hamas and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu noted that Iranian leadership working with Hezbollah “is building another northern front against Israel” in Syria, and Iran also launches cyberattacks against Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the West.

The current nuclear deal with Iran, which would grant them sanctions relief in exchange for restrictions and international supervision on their nuclear program, will only enhance Iran’s ability to create trouble, said the Israeli leader.

“This deal… will also fill Iran’s coffers with billions, tens of billions of dollars and possibly hundreds of billions of dollars down the line, with which to conduct this multifaceted campaign of aggression across our region, across the world.”

He argued these concerns come on top of the risk that Iran could use the deal to create a path to nuclear weapons a decade from now, when the deal’s restrictions ease up, assuming they “don’t cheat before.”

Netanyahu urged Germany and the world to “use biting sanctions” that “have proved effective” despite being place for only three years to drive Iran to accept more concessions in a revised nuclear agreement. Said the Israeli leader, “We think there’s a need to hold out for a better deal.”

(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, May 31, 2015)

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