Advertisement

Israel’s Netanyahu again warns Iran after top diplomat talks of revising nuclear doctrine

Renewed war of words between Middle East foes comes ahead of key nuclear talks with European nations

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Iranian missiles displayed at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force Museum in Tehran. Photo: West Asia Press Agency via Reuters

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would do “everything” to stop Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon after Iran’s top diplomat warned it could end its ban on developing one if Western sanctions are reimposed.

Advertisement

The renewed war of words between the Middle East foes came as Iran prepared to hold key nuclear talks with European governments on Friday which have been overshadowed by their joining with Washington to have Tehran censured by the UN atomic watchdog.

“I will do everything to prevent it from becoming a nuclear (power), I will use all the resources that can be used,” Netanyahu told Israeli broadcaster Channel 14 in an interview on Thursday.

Israel is the region’s sole, if undeclared, nuclear-armed state. It has long made preventing any rival from matching it its top defence priority.

The remains of an Iranian missile in the Negev desert, near Arad, in the aftermath of an Iranian missile attack on Israel on October 2. File photo: AFP
The remains of an Iranian missile in the Negev desert, near Arad, in the aftermath of an Iranian missile attack on Israel on October 2. File photo: AFP

Netanyahu said Tuesday that the ceasefire that went into effect in Lebanon the following day would allow Israel to focus on Iran. He did not elaborate on what action he envisaged.

Advertisement
Advertisement