Israel PM warns of bigger Iranian role in regional terrorism if sanctions lifted

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Tuesday his objection to the Iranian nuclear deal, saying Iran would use the money it would get following the lifting of sanctions to increase its involvement with terrorism in the region.

Netanyahu made the comments during a visit to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) northern Command unit, where he and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon received a briefing about the security challenges Israel faces on its northern borders with Syria and Lebanon.

"The money that would flow into Iran following the nuclear agreement would be used to strengthen terrorist organizations operating against us under Iran's sponsorship, with the declared purpose of destroying Israel," Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.

He went on to quote statements made by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in which he stated Iran "would take all measures to support those fighting Israel."

Netanyahu also quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying that he told chief of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, that the agreement creates "an historic opportunity of opposing the Zionist entity."

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon added that the atmosphere is not quiet in Golan Heights area in northern Israel, next to the Syrian border.

"Those who strive for tensions are the Iranians, who are trying to operate through proxies in order to carry out attacks against us," Ya'alon was quoted by the Ma'ariv news website as saying.

"Representatives of the Revolutionary Guards are waiting for the implementation of this bad agreement with world powers in order to provide more money for Hezbollah and other terror organizations along the northern border, as well as in the Palestinian arena," the defense minister added.

There have been several attacks on Israeli soldiers and vehicles, as well as mortar attacks, on northern Israeli territories alongside Syria, as well as Lebanon, other than the occasional spillover from the four-year civil war in Syria.

On Sunday, Israeli media reported that the IDF is preparing for a possible ground operation on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights in the case of rocket attacks on northern Israel or coordinated attacks against Israel.

According to a report by the Channel 2 news the IDF is taking into consideration various scenarios in which Hezbollah or other Jihadist militants will stage an attack against Israel by Iran's orders.

The P5+1 countries, namely Britain, the U.S., China, France, Germany and Russia, signed a deal designed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions in July. The deal ends over a decade of strife between Iran and the international community.

Netanyahu is a staunch opponent of the deal, which he said does not prevent the Iranians from producing nuclear weapons, calling it a "historic mistake."

He charges the lifting of international sanctions would funnel funds that would use Iran to "increase its aggression" in the Middle East. Endit