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Benjamin Netanyahu preparing for ‘attack on Iranian nuclear installations’ ACT OF WAR
Campbell MacDiarmid
Wed, February 22, 2023
Benjamin Netanyahu - AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo
Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing for a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear installations in a series of secret high-level meetings with senior defence officials, according to a leaked report.
Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has held five meetings with his defence chiefs, intelligence officials and the head of Mossad to discuss a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear programme, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday.
While Israel does not typically announce strikes in advance, it has consistently messaged its concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, suggesting the leak could be a deliberate signal from the Israeli government to compel Western allies to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons.
Israel is believed to have carried out regular attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and staff, but never admits responsibility.
Israel has reportedly shared its secret plans with the United States and France, warning them it will act alone if the international community will not provide support.
Details of the meetings emerged a day after Mr Netanyahu said on Tuesday: “The only thing that has ever stopped rogue nations from developing nuclear weapons is a credible military threat or a credible military action.
“A necessary condition and often a sufficient condition is credible military action. The longer you wait, the harder that becomes. We’ve waited very long.”
Mr Netanyahu has long claimed that Iran’s nuclear programme poses an existential threat to Israel, although Tehran maintains that it does not seek atomic weapons and that its research is for peaceful purposes.
nuclear iran - Vahid Salemi/AP Photo
Israel opposes world powers renewing a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran from which former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018.
Since then, Iran has steadily reduced its compliance with the agreement and talks have stalled over reviving the deal between Tehran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.
While the Iran nuclear deal limited the purity to which Tehran could enrich uranium to 3.67 per cent, by April 2021 it was enriching to 60 per cent.
Last week, Bloomberg news reported that the UN nuclear watchdog had detected uranium enriched to 84 per cent purity at an Iranian nuclear facility – close to weapons grade.
On Monday, a spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation described the presence of any enriched material above 60 percent as “an anomaly”.
“So far, we have not made any attempt to enrich above 60 per cent,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi, in remarks published by state news agency IRNA. “The presence of particles above 60 per cent enrichment does not mean production with an enrichment above 60 per cent.”
‘Ambiguities’
On Wednesday, Mohammed Eslami, Iran’s nuclear chief, said inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog were in Tehran resolving any “ambiguities”.
“Officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency are in Tehran and have been starting negotiations, visits and checks. Ambiguities created by an inspector are being resolved,” Mr Eslami said, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
However, these claims were contradicted by Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, who said officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency would visit Tehran in the coming days.
“We hope that IAEA Director Grossi will reach an agreement with Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation from a non-political and technical standpoint,” Mr Amirabdollahian said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought to acquire an atomic bomb.”
Campbell MacDiarmid
Wed, February 22, 2023
Benjamin Netanyahu - AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo
Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing for a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear installations in a series of secret high-level meetings with senior defence officials, according to a leaked report.
Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has held five meetings with his defence chiefs, intelligence officials and the head of Mossad to discuss a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear programme, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday.
While Israel does not typically announce strikes in advance, it has consistently messaged its concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, suggesting the leak could be a deliberate signal from the Israeli government to compel Western allies to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons.
Israel is believed to have carried out regular attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and staff, but never admits responsibility.
Israel has reportedly shared its secret plans with the United States and France, warning them it will act alone if the international community will not provide support.
Details of the meetings emerged a day after Mr Netanyahu said on Tuesday: “The only thing that has ever stopped rogue nations from developing nuclear weapons is a credible military threat or a credible military action.
“A necessary condition and often a sufficient condition is credible military action. The longer you wait, the harder that becomes. We’ve waited very long.”
Mr Netanyahu has long claimed that Iran’s nuclear programme poses an existential threat to Israel, although Tehran maintains that it does not seek atomic weapons and that its research is for peaceful purposes.
nuclear iran - Vahid Salemi/AP Photo
Israel opposes world powers renewing a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran from which former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018.
Since then, Iran has steadily reduced its compliance with the agreement and talks have stalled over reviving the deal between Tehran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.
While the Iran nuclear deal limited the purity to which Tehran could enrich uranium to 3.67 per cent, by April 2021 it was enriching to 60 per cent.
Last week, Bloomberg news reported that the UN nuclear watchdog had detected uranium enriched to 84 per cent purity at an Iranian nuclear facility – close to weapons grade.
On Monday, a spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation described the presence of any enriched material above 60 percent as “an anomaly”.
“So far, we have not made any attempt to enrich above 60 per cent,” said Behrouz Kamalvandi, in remarks published by state news agency IRNA. “The presence of particles above 60 per cent enrichment does not mean production with an enrichment above 60 per cent.”
‘Ambiguities’
On Wednesday, Mohammed Eslami, Iran’s nuclear chief, said inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog were in Tehran resolving any “ambiguities”.
“Officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency are in Tehran and have been starting negotiations, visits and checks. Ambiguities created by an inspector are being resolved,” Mr Eslami said, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
However, these claims were contradicted by Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Iranian foreign minister, who said officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency would visit Tehran in the coming days.
“We hope that IAEA Director Grossi will reach an agreement with Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation from a non-political and technical standpoint,” Mr Amirabdollahian said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought to acquire an atomic bomb.”
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