Israel Matzav

Netanyahu tells UN: 'We will stop Iran alone if we need to'

"Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, even if we have to stand alone. Yet in standing alone, Israel will know that we will be defending many, many others," he said.

He dismissed the recent so-called "charm offensive" by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, charging that while his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, had been openly aggressive towards Israel, he was concealing his true intentions. The Iranians' goal, Netanyahu said, was an end to the sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy and were implemented over Teheran's intransigence on its atomic ambitions, and it was for this reason that Rouhani was elected.

"When it comes to Iran's nuclear weapons program, the only difference between them is this: Ahmadinejad was a wolf in wolf's clothing, Rouhani is a wolf in sheep's clothing, a wolf who thinks he can pull the wool over the eyes of the international community," Netanyahu said.
He also said that Iran's nuclear program had continued at a "vast and feverish" pace since the election in June of Rouhani.

"Like everyone else, I wish we could believe Rouhani's words, but we must focus on Iran's action," Netanyahu said, adding that sanctions should be tightened if the Iranians pursue nuclear projects while negotiating with world powers.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Hassan Rohani, Iranian nuclear threat, UN General Assembly

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:19 PM