Israeli PM in London to urge Johnson to end nuclear talks with Iran
LONDON-The Israeli prime minister flew into London on Thursday to urge Britain to end talks with Iran over the nuclear deal. Benjamin Netanyahu met the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, for hastily arranged talks on Thursday in which he was expected to call on Britain to spurn a French plan to offer a $15bn (£12bn) credit lifeline to help Iran sell oil.
The Israeli prime minister was in Downing Street with a preoccupied Johnson for a total of 29 minutes but speaking ahead of the substantive discussions Netanyahu said he wished to discuss Iran and Johnson voiced his support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Johnson will also meet the US vice-president, Mike Pence, while Netanyahu will hold talks in London later in the day with the US defence secretary, Mark Esper. That Johnson has cleared his diary in the middle of domestic political chaos is a tribute to Netanyahu’s influence in Downing Street.
Iran and three European countries – Britain, France and Germany – have been engaged in talks to save the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, which has been unravelling since Donald Trump withdrew from it in May last year. On his way to London the Israeli leader cited an Iranian plan to restart research on building advanced nuclear centrifuges in a further breach of the accord. The centrifuge plan, Tehran’s third step away from the deal, was announced by the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, on Wednesday.
“Today we were told about another violation carried out by Iran, this time in relation to nuclear proliferation,” Netanyahu said. “This joins Iran’s aggressive acts against international shipping and against countries in the region, as well as its efforts to carry out murderous attacks against the state of Israel, efforts that have not ceased. “This is not the time to hold talks with Iran; this is the time to increase the pressure on Iran ... These are important matters for the state of Israel at all times, but especially now.” (The Guardian)