Israeli PM says majority of U.S. citizens reject Iran deal
Xinhua, September 3, 2015 Adjust font size:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the majority of U.S. citizens object to the agreement signed between Iran and the international community over Tehran's nuclear program.
Netanyahu made the remarks at an event ahead of the Jewish New Year held at the Foreign Ministry, one day after U.S. President Barack Obama secured enough Democratic senators' votes to block a Republican initiative to foil the deal.
"A crushing majority of the U.S. public sees eye-to-eye with us regarding the danger Iran poses," Netanyahu said during the event, where he discussed the challenges facing the Foreign Ministry in the upcoming year, according to a statement from his office.
"It's important to inform America's citizens that Iran is the United States' enemy, as it has overtly announced, whereas Israel is the United States' ally. This understanding has important repercussions on our security in the future," he added.
The final deal between Iran and the P5+1 countries -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the U.S., and Germany -- was sealed in July following extensive negotiations, with proponents of the deal stating that the deal would block Iran's path toward developing nuclear weapons, in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions imposed on the country.
Netanyahu has been a staunch opponent to the deal, which he described as a "historic mistake," saying it will allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons as well as boost its involvement in terrorism in the Middle East.
In early March, Netanyahu spoke before the U.S. Congress trying to convince its members not to support the deal, a move that angered the Obama administration.
Netanyahu has made his hawkish view regarding Iran a major component of his agenda, hinting at a possible Israeli preemptive strike targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, in order to protect the country from what he dubbed as "an existential threat in the form of nuclear Iran."
Iran, however, says its nuclear program is geared toward peaceful purposes. Endit