JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had conveyed to US President Donald Trump that any future agreement between Washington and Tehran must include the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, rather than merely halting uranium enrichment.
Speaking at the annual Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations, Netanyahu stressed that Iran should not retain any enrichment capability, including equipment or facilities that could enable it to resume nuclear activities in the future.
His remarks came as the United States and Iran prepare for a second round of negotiations this week aimed at resolving their decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme and avoiding a potential military confrontation.
Netanyahu expressed scepticism about the prospects of a deal but said any agreement must require Iran to remove enriched nuclear material from its territory.
The statement follows reports that Trump had indicated during a meeting last December that Washington would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile programme if diplomatic efforts failed.
US officials have also indicated that Washington has deployed a second aircraft carrier to the region and is preparing contingency plans for a prolonged military campaign should negotiations collapse.
Separately, Netanyahu said Israel intends to “complete the job” in Gaza by destroying the remaining tunnel network used by militants. He said Israeli forces had already dismantled about 150 kilometres of tunnels out of an estimated 500 kilometres.
The Israeli premier also revealed that he aims to phase out US military aid to Israel over the next decade after the current 10-year agreement, worth $3.8 billion annually, expires in 2028.
Citing Israel’s economic growth, Netanyahu said the country could gradually end the financial component of US assistance and transition towards what he described as a partnership-based relationship with Washington.