Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday again vowed that Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons on his watch, as Iranian media reported that Tehran will insist on its right to enrich uranium in emerging talks with the United States.
“As long as I am the prime minister of Israel, Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, adding that he and U.S. President Donald Trump “are in full agreement on this issue.”
The statement came a day after Netanyahu spoke by phone with Trump regarding an emerging memorandum of understanding with Iran aimed at launching negotiations on a new deal.
During a telephone rally for Georgia gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones on Thursday, Trump said, “I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today, and they agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump has said the memorandum of understanding could be signed “this weekend” in Europe. Reuters, citing a Western source, reported that the likeliest venue is Geneva, with the wording of the agreement still being finalized and a signing potentially taking place as early as Sunday if the remaining issues are resolved.
Although Israel is not a party to the memorandum, Netanyahu said on Thursday that he appreciated Trump’s commitment that any final agreement would include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production and an end to Iran’s support for terrorist proxies in the region.
“For over 30 years, I have been at the forefront of the international struggle against Iran’s nuclear program,” Netanyahu said in his statement on Friday. “Were it not for this struggle, Iran would have long ago possessed atomic bombs to destroy Israel.
“Iran is working to destroy the Jewish state, and I am dedicating my life to preventing them from doing so. As long as I am the prime minister of Israel, this will not happen.”
Iranian media reports
Iranian media reported on Friday that a deal with Washington would not include halting uranium enrichment.
“Iran’s right to uranium enrichment is nonnegotiable,” Iranian media quoted informed sources as saying.
The Islamic Republic’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that the proposed U.S.-Iran ceasefire framework would include measures extending beyond the nuclear issue, including an end to fighting in Lebanon and the phased release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets.
According to the report, the United States would initially unfreeze $12 billion of an estimated $24 billion in Iranian funds and ease sanctions on Iran’s oil and petrochemical sectors, with additional steps tied to future negotiations. Mehr also reported that the arrangement would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days and a U.S. commitment not to intervene in Iran’s internal affairs or maintain forces near the country’s borders.
The report claimed that the memorandum of understanding would provide for a 60-day negotiating period aimed at reaching a final nuclear agreement, but would not address Iran’s ballistic missile program or its support for regional proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
Trump rejects Iranian reports
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump rejected the Iranian media reports about the contents of the proposed agreement with Iran.
“The terms that Iran leaked out to the Fake News have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing,” Trump wrote. “What they said, including their weak and pathetic statement on having a deal, bears no relation to the truth. Very dishonorable people to deal with. With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING!
“Also, their totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together, and FAST!”
