Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would continue to monitor Iran, a day after the announcement of the implementation of the nuclear deal between world powers and Tehran.
“Israel would continue to monitor Iran’s international violations of the nuclear agreement and the ballistic missiles agreement, as well as its involvement with terrorism,” Netanyahu said on Sunday at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting, Xinhua reported.
The prime minister, a vocal opponent of the deal between the P5+1 countries (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) and Iran, added that the international community must also keep a close eye on Iran and enact “grave sanctions” for any future violations.
Netanyahu added that now that economic sanctions will be lifted from Iran, the country would increase its involvement with terrorism and aggressive behaviour in the region. “Israel is ready to face any threat,” he added.
The UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, announced on Saturday that Iran complied with all the demands stipulated in the July 2015 nuclear deal, prompting the debilitating economic sanctions, imposed on the country in the past decade, to be lifted.
Following Saturday’s announcement, Netanyahu said in a statement that Iran is still interested in acquiring nuclear weapons, and that undermines stability in the region.
Israel, which was believed to have nuclear power, criticised the accord, with Netanyahu charging that Iran would be able to develop nuclear weapons despite the safeguards on capping its nuclear capability in the agreement.
The Israeli leader contents that a nuclear Iran would pose an “existential threat” to Israel and has alluded in past years to a possible preemptive attack against Tehran.
Iran, on its part, insists that its nuclear programme is aimed at peaceful purposes.