Amid efforts to broker a diplomatic solution to the nuclear impasse between the United States and Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday morning called for amping up the pressure on the regime in Tehran.
“This is not the time to conduct talks with Iran — this is the time to increase the pressure on Iran,” he declared as he made his way to London for meetings with his British counterpart and a a top US defense official.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump did not rule out meeting with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in the near future. Asked by reporters at the White House whether he might meet with Rouhani on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place in New York later this month, Trump responded: “Sure, anything is possible.”
Also on Wednesday, Rouhani announced additional steps away from the 2015 nuclear agreement, vowing to accelerate nuclear activities if Europe fails to provide satisfy Tehran’s demands.
“From Friday, we will witness research and development on different kinds of centrifuges and new centrifuges and also whatever is needed for enriching uranium in an accelerated way,” the president said in an address broadcast on state TV. “All limitations on our Research and Development will be lifted on Friday.”
“This morning we were informed of another violation, more defiance, by Iran, this time in its striving to attain nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu told reporters Thursday as he boarded a Boeing 777 to London. “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.”
During the hastily arranged trip to the British capital, Netanyahu will meet with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was busy this week handling a revolt within his Conservative party over his controversial plan to leave the European Union by the end of next month.
