Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu urges Iran to dismantle its nuclear program

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined conditions for a potential deal with Iran during a speech at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations on Sunday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to meet with US officials in Geneva for the second round of nuclear talks.

Netanyahu stated that any agreement must include several key elements. First, all enriched material must leave Iran’s territory. Second, there should be no enrichment capability, including dismantling equipment and infrastructure that allows for enrichment. Third, the issue of ballistic missiles must be resolved. Netanyahu also emphasized the need for sustained inspections of Tehran’s nuclear program.

The US and Iran resumed nuclear negotiations in Oman on February 6, following a 12-day war between Israel and Iran last June. The US joined Israeli airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites, targeting three facilities. This marks the first time Netanyahu has publicly discussed his talks with US President Donald Trump, who met with him in Washington, DC, last week.

According to reports, the two leaders agreed to intensify economic sanctions on Iran, particularly its oil sales to China. The necessary end state for any deal is an Iran without nuclear capabilities. However, they disagreed on how to achieve this goal. Netanyahu expressed skepticism about a deal, while Trump believed it was possible.

Iran has denied any intent to develop nuclear weapons and is willing to discuss curbs on its atomic program in exchange for sanctions relief. The country has ruled out linking the issue to missiles. Tensions in the region remain high, with the US sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East following Trump’s threat of new attacks on Iran.

Source: Al Jazeera