Iran threat: Israel ‘preparing for the day after’

By World Israel News Staff

Addressing the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday morning, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned that “talks between Iran and the major powers on a return to a nuclear agreement are advancing quickly.

“We may see an agreement shortly. The new apparent agreement is shorter and weaker than the previous one.”

“The original agreement, signed in 2015, was an agreement for 10 years and is now for two-and-a-half years,” he said, noting that restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program are expected to expire in 2025.

“Two things have happened since the original signing: The Iranians have made great strides in building their enrichment capability and time has passed,” the prime minister explained.

“If the world signs the agreement again – without extending the expiration date – then we are talking about an agreement that buys a total of two and a half years, after which Iran can and may develop and install advanced centrifuges, without restrictions.

“According to the agreement,” he continued, “this would mean ‘stadiums’ of centrifuges. In return, the Iranians will currently receive tens of billions of dollars and the lifting of sanctions…

“This money will eventually go to terrorism in the area. This terrorism endangers us, endangers other countries in the region – as we have seen recently – and it will also endanger American forces in the region.

“In any case, we are organizing and preparing for the day after, in all dimensions, so that we can maintain the security of the citizens of Israel by ourselves,” he concluded.

Bennett also discussed the tensions on the Ukraine-Russia border, reiterating his plea to Israelis to return home.