Netanyahu says Trump has assured him that Iran's nuclear program will be completely dismantled
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims he has received assurances from US President Donald Trump that any deal with Tehran will lead to the complete elimination of Iran's nuclear program.
Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump at the White House PHOTO: EPA EFE
“We discussed last night (no US President Donald Trump) the memorandum of understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and future negotiations for a final agreement on Iran's nuclear program”Netanyahu said in a statement on X, stating that the leaders “agreed that any final deal with Iran must eliminate the nuclear threat,” writes The Times of Israel.
“That means decommissioning Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities and removing enriched nuclear material from its territory,” Netanyahu continued, although it is unclear whether Donald Trump gave him specific assurances about those conditions.
“President Trump also reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself against threats on all fronts, including from Lebanon”adds the prime minister. Iran has reportedly refused to address the nuclear issue in the upcoming memorandum of understanding and is only willing to discuss it in negotiations on a final deal.
US and Iranian officials have reportedly said the initial 60-day truce to be concluded will include a truce with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, Israeli media reports.
Benjamin Netanyahu adds that he thanked Trump “for his unwavering commitment to Israel's securityMeanwhile, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged the Lebanese government to abandon direct negotiations with Israel. The Islamic Resistance – Hezbollah's military wing – posted on its Telegram media channel, quoting Qassem as saying that disarming Hezbollah was “unacceptable” and amounted to “annihilation”.
The group later quoted Qassem as saying that direct negotiations are “unacceptable” and represents a “victory” for Israel. This comes as Lebanon prepares for a new round of negotiations with Israel in Washington early next month.
