Iran dismisses Israel's nuclear allegations as "unfounded": official

TEHRAN, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami on Tuesday dismissed Israel's nuclear allegations as "unfounded," Tasnim news agency reported.

Hatami also called the Monday's comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "a propaganda show."

Netanyahu's statement reflects Israel's attempts to divert public attention and cover up its "unjustifiable crimes" against the oppressed people of Palestine, he said.

It is a sign of the Zionist regime's frustration over its recent defeats in the region and in the face of the Palestinians' resistance, the Iranian minister noted.

He warned Israeli officials to "stop conspiracies, plots, and dangerous behaviors" against his country.

In a televised statement on Monday, Netanyahu disclosed files allegedly obtained by Israel's intelligence from Iran's "secret nuclear archive," saying they prove Iran's secret development of nuclear weapons after the 2015 nuclear deal.

The nuclear deal, signed in July 2015 between Iran and six world powers, was designed to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the removal of international sanctions on the Islamic country.

"Even after the deal, Iran continued to preserve and expand its nuclear weapons know-how for future use" at the Fordow nuclear testing site, the Israeli prime minister said.

The disclosure came ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's looming deadline on May 12 to decide whether to extend the waiver on nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. Enditem