In a recent Washington Post (WP) interview, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the U.S. to take cautious steps in dealing with Iran’s newly elected leader. He stressed the need for realistic thinking when engaging in talks with Iran about its continuing nuclear program. Although Rowhani is internationally seen as a moderate reformist and has repeatedly declared intentions to reestablish peaceful diplomacy with the West, Netanyahu remains skeptical. He firmly believes Iran can be judged only by its actions, stating, “If it insists on continuing to develop its nuclear program, the answer needs to be clear”. Rowhani has pledged numerous times since his election to uphold the rights of his nation by continuing to develop Iran’s enrichment program within the legal bounds set by the international community. While some may see this as an admirable step toward further transparency, Netanyahu perceives this as an ambiguous admission of guilt that Iran possesses nuclear weapons.
Despite his belief that the election results reflect the Iranian citizens’ desire for change, Netanyahu does not think their voice is loud enough to change their nation’s nuclear ambitions. He made this opinion clear immediately following the election when he told WP’s Lally Weymouth that Israel would accept nothing less than “total cessation of all nuclear enrichment materials by Iran,” regardless of the new administration. Israeli officials postulate that Rowhani was strategically chosen to be a candidate by the Supreme Leader Khamenei to deflect the international community from Iran’s continued nuclear enrichment. Rowhani, a tolerant progressive, was chosen from a slate of candidates whose extremist views all closely aligned with those of the Ayatollah. Netanyahu believes that by calming the nerves of world leaders with Rowhani, Iran is able to steadily move forward with its nuclear program without stirring up controversy. He supports this assumption by citing a speech Rowhani gave in 2004 in which he admitted that even when Iran suspended uranium enrichment, it was able to make the ‘greatest nuclear advancements because the pressure was off’. He went on to boast about the extensive equipment Iran was able to install at a crucial nuclear facility while talking with the Europeans in Tehran.
Israeli president Shimon Peres has publicly agreed that President Obama’s original commitment to Iran being a non-nuclear weapon state through peaceful means was reasonable. However, he has since reiterated that Obama had the intention of using non-military means without excluding such [military] means if necessary. Claiming Iran is a danger to both states’ security and existence alike, Peres believes Israel should not bomb Iran’s nuclear program unilaterally. Rather, he believes Israel and the U.S. should work together using combined resources to ensure the future safety of their nations—which he believes is indeed, necessary. Unfortunately, Israel has made explicit its zero-tolerance stance on Iran obtaining any type of nuclear energy, whereas the United States has shown cooperation in allowing Iran to enrich for legitimate means. The lack of accord between these allies has created numerous foreign policy complications in respect to Iran.
Despite his belief that the election results reflect the Iranian citizens’ desire for change, Netanyahu does not think their voice is loud enough to change their nation’s nuclear ambitions. He made this opinion clear immediately following the election when he told WP’s Lally Weymouth that Israel would accept nothing less than “total cessation of all nuclear enrichment materials by Iran,” regardless of the new administration. Israeli officials postulate that Rowhani was strategically chosen to be a candidate by the Supreme Leader Khamenei to deflect the international community from Iran’s continued nuclear enrichment. Rowhani, a tolerant progressive, was chosen from a slate of candidates whose extremist views all closely aligned with those of the Ayatollah. Netanyahu believes that by calming the nerves of world leaders with Rowhani, Iran is able to steadily move forward with its nuclear program without stirring up controversy. He supports this assumption by citing a speech Rowhani gave in 2004 in which he admitted that even when Iran suspended uranium enrichment, it was able to make the ‘greatest nuclear advancements because the pressure was off’. He went on to boast about the extensive equipment Iran was able to install at a crucial nuclear facility while talking with the Europeans in Tehran.
Israeli president Shimon Peres has publicly agreed that President Obama’s original commitment to Iran being a non-nuclear weapon state through peaceful means was reasonable. However, he has since reiterated that Obama had the intention of using non-military means without excluding such [military] means if necessary. Claiming Iran is a danger to both states’ security and existence alike, Peres believes Israel should not bomb Iran’s nuclear program unilaterally. Rather, he believes Israel and the U.S. should work together using combined resources to ensure the future safety of their nations—which he believes is indeed, necessary. Unfortunately, Israel has made explicit its zero-tolerance stance on Iran obtaining any type of nuclear energy, whereas the United States has shown cooperation in allowing Iran to enrich for legitimate means. The lack of accord between these allies has created numerous foreign policy complications in respect to Iran.
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