During a speech given at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a strong warning regarding the growing threat of a nuclear Iran.
“Darkness is descending on our region,” he said.
“In addition to moving its army, its air force, its navy to Syria to be able to attack Israel from closer hand – it’s also seeking to develop, to build precision-guided missile factories in Syria, Lebanon against Israel. I will not let that happen,” he added.
The prime minister also thanked the Trump administration for their support and dedication to the nation of Israel, adding that he salutes the president on his vow to never accept a nuclear-armed Iran.
“President Trump has made it clear that his administration will not accept Iran’s aggression in the region,” he said. “He has made clear that he too will never accept a nuclear-armed Iran. That is the right policy. I salute President Trump on this.”
However, Iranian armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri said in a statement Saturday that the limiting of Iran’s missile capability is not an option.
“What Americans say out of desperation with regards to limiting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile capability is an unattainable dream,” he said, adding “The conditions for negotiations on Iran’s missiles is the destruction of America’s and Europe’s nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.”
Netanyahu said President Trump will walk away from the Iran nuclear deal if its weaknesses are not considered.
“And the president has also made it clear that if the fatal flaws of the nuclear deal are not fixed, he will walk away from the deal and restore sanctions. Israel will be right there by America’s side, and let me tell you, so will a hundred countries in the region,” he said.
In support of the Trump administration’s decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in December 2017, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said during a speech Sunday at AIPAC that Guatemala would also move its embassy to Jerusalem.
“I would like to thank President Trump for leading the way,” he said, “His courageous decision has encouraged us to do what is right.”
Guatemala plans to move the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem May 16, just two days after the scheduled move of the US embassy.
In reference to his 2015 speech at AIPAC when he called the Iran nuclear deal a “threat to the survival of Israel and the peace of the world,” Netanyahu said that is exactly what has happened.
“I warned that by removing Iran’s sanctions, Iran’s regime would not become more moderate and peaceful, but more extreme and belligerent – much more dangerous,” he said, adding, “Ladies and gentlemen, that’s exactly what has happened.”
Netanyahu also vowed to never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons that could potentially exterminate the nation of Israel.
“Last week, we read in the book of Esther about an earlier Persian attempt to exterminate our people. They failed then. They’ll fail now. We will never let Iran develop nuclear weapons. Not now, not in ten years, not ever,” he said.