Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu served notice at the United Nations Tuesday that if US-led negotiations don’t stop Iran’s drive to a nuclear arsenal, his country would — by itself.
“Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu told the General Assembly.
“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone.”
The prime minister’s hint at a military strike was in sharp contrast to his tacit endorsement, during a meeting with President Obama on Monday, of negotiations with Iran beginning next month.
Netanyahu blasted the charm offensive of Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, whom he described as a “loyal servant of the regime,” just like his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“Ahmadinejad was a wolf in wolf’s clothing. Rouhani is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a wolf who thinks he can pull the wool over the eyes of the international community,” Netanyahu declared.
“He fooled the world once. Now he thinks he can fool it again. You see, Rouhani thinks he can have his yellowcake and eat it too,” Netanyahu said, referring to a form of uranium concentrate used in nuclear-weapons development.
“Iran’s vast, feverish nuclear [drive has] continued unabated” since Rouhani’s election.
Iran immediately denounced Netanyahu for “saber rattling” and “inflammatory” talk.
Netanyahu devoted most of his annual UN address to Iran and came armed with sharp rhetoric.
“A nuclear-armed Iran in the Middle East wouldn’t be another North Korea — it would be another 50 North Koreas,” he said.
“In the last three years, Iran has ordered, planned or perpetrated terrorist attacks in 25 countries on five continents.”