Israel Steps Up Pressure on Iran Over Nuclear Activity

Nuclear plant
Nuclear threat (Archive photo: ePixabay)

Israel will soon present a detailed list of Iran’s violations of the nuclear agreement to the UN Security Council. The move coincides with increased international pressure on Iran over its nuclear activities.

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz instructed officials to present the “complete list” of Iranian breaches at the upcoming Security Council session on 19 December. Last month, the UN atomic watch dog confirmed that Iran is violating its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Iran now faces growing pressure after Britain, Germany and France charged Wednesday that Tehran is developing “nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.” A letter to the UN secretary general accused Iran of violating the Security Council resolution on the issue.

Minister Katz welcomed the European announcement and urged world powers to threaten Iran with a potential military strike. “This confirms what Israel has been claiming all along,” Katz said in a statement. “Only an effective military threat posed against Iran will deter and curb its aggression.”  

Iran Faces Israel-US Pressure

Iran was also high on the agenda of Prime Minister Netanyahu as he met with the US secretary of state. “The first subject that I will raise is Iran, the second subject is Iran, and so is the third, and many more,” Netanyahu said as he met Secretary Mike Pompeo Wednesday in Lisbon.

Netanyahu was certain to press the US Administration to escalate its moves against Iran under President Trump’s leadership. “The Israeli-American policy is key” to the efforts to pressure the Islamic Republic, Netanyahu said. He also discussed with Pompeo the need to “strengthen even further our mutual defense.”

Netanyahu’s remarks reinforce the impression that Israel and the US are closely aligned on the Iran issue, diplomatically and militarily. Last month, the US military’s top generals visited Israel amid speculation that the two countries were coordinating future steps against Iran in the region.

Meanwhile, US officials are warning that Iran is planning more attacks in the Middle East, and could hit American targets. Israel, too, is preparing for an Iranian assault in response to repeated IDF strikes on Iranian forces in Syria.