Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday ripped last summer’s landmark nuclear deal with Iran and said he would work with president-elect Donald Trump to remedy its shortcomings.
Netanyahu’s pledge comes as the Obama administration seeks to strengthen the agreement, which Trump has called “the worst deal ever negotiated.” The prime minister reiterated his long-standing criticism of the deal during an address at the Saban forum, a United States-Israel focused conference in Washington.
“I oppose the deal because it doesn’t prevent Iran from getting nukes, it paves the way for Iran to get nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said. “I look forward to speaking with [Trump] about what to do about this bad deal.”
Iran has only grown more aggressive since signing the agreement, Netanyahu said. He stressed the need to thwart the country’s missile development.
“After the deal was signed, Iran has actually become an even more aggressive power,” he said. “It’s developing ballistic missiles that will ultimately be capable of reaching the United States.”
Netanyahu did not rule out using military action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“Israel is committed, and when I say we’re committed, we’re committed,” he said, referring to Israel’s commitment to ensuring that Iran does not go nuclear.
The prime minister’s remarks come on the heels of heated rhetoric from Iranian officials over the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), a 20-year old package of congressional sanctions. The administration worked to delay the renewal of the ISA, calling the extension unnecessary. The Senate passed a 10-year renewal 99-0 Thursday.
