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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 2 May 2018

Netanyahu nuclear presentation gets cool reception in Europe

By JOSEF FEDERMAN of activities in Iran relevant
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli to the development of a
Prime Minister Benjamin nuclear explosive device
Netanyahu's latest accu- after 2009." The IAEA has re-
sations about Iran's past peatedly certified that Iran
nuclear activities received is in compliance with the
a warm welcome in Wash- 2015 nuclear deal.
ington but a far cooler In a "preliminary reaction,"
reception in Europe on EU foreign policy chief Fed-
Tuesday — deepening divi- erica Mogherini said Ne-
sions among Western allies tanyahu had not provided
ahead of President Donald evidence that Iran is violat-
Trump's decision on wheth- ing the current deal and
er to withdraw from the noted its continued com-
international nuclear deal pliance.
later this month. Yoel Guzansky, senior fel-
U.S. Secretary of State Mike low at the Institute for Na-
Pompeo said the U.S. would tional Security Studies, an
discuss Israel's newest pur- Israeli think tank, said Ne-
ported evidence with the tanyahu's message was
other global powers that unlikely to change minds in
negotiated the 2015 nucle- Washington or Europe.
ar deal. But Britain said the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents material on Iranian nuclear weapons devel- Although Iran has threat-
information reinforced the opment during a press conference in Tel Aviv, Monday, April 30 2018. ened to withdraw from the
need to keep the deal in Associated Press deal if the U.S. pulls out, Gu-
place. zansky said Tehran would
The U.N. nuclear agency ing heavy use of visual aids, Iran is "trying to bamboozle keeping the deal, with its likely be more cautious,
said it considered the mat- appeared to be aimed the entire world" and ex- tough constraints on Iran, in and much will depend
ter of whether Iran had at swaying global opinion pressed hope that Trump place. on the reactions of major
previously pursued nuclear ahead of Trump's decision. would pull out of the deal. "The Iran nuclear deal is not companies. "It's in Iran's in-
weapons to be "closed." He unveiled what he said Pompeo, who was return- based on trust about Iran's terest to stay in the agree-
Netanyahu has been an was a "half ton" of Iranian ing to the U.S. after his first intentions; rather it is based ment," he said. "It matters
outspoken critic of the deal, nuclear documents he said official visit to the Middle on tough verification," he if Renault, Total and other
which offered Iran relief were illicitly seized by Israeli East, said he had discussed said. European companies will
from crippling international intelligence. Netanyahu the material with Netan- The U.N. nuclear watch- continue to do business
sanctions in exchange for said the documents pro- yahu during a stop in Israel dog, the Vienna-based In- with Iran." Iran dismissed
curbs on its nuclear pro- vided evidence that Iran this week and would raise ternational Atomic Energy Netanyahu's move as a "ri-
gram. Netanyahu says the attempted to develop a the matter with European Agency, has said Iran in diculous" show but did not
deal will not prevent Iran, nuclear bomb in the previ- allies. the early 1990s "may have address the documents he
Israel's most bitter enemy, ous decade, especially be- He said the documents received design informa- produced. Israel and Iran
from reaching a nuclear fore 2003. showed Iran sought nucle- tion for a nuclear explosive are currently involved in a
weapons capability. Although he gave no ex- ar weapons and hid a vast device from a clandestine standoff in Syria, where Ira-
After clashing with Presi- plicit evidence that Iran archive of information from nuclear supply network." It nian troops are supporting
dent Barack Obama when has violated the 2015 deal, the world and the U.N. nu- says Iran also worked in the President Bashar Assad's
the deal was negotiated, he said Iran had clearly lied clear agency. 2000s on explosive detona- forces. Israel has warned
Netanyahu has found a in the past and could not "What this means is the deal tors that "have character- that it will not allow Iran to
close ally in Trump, who has be trusted. Iran has denied was not constructed on a istics relevant to a nuclear establish a permanent mili-
called the agreement "the ever pursuing nuclear arms. foundation of good faith or explosive device," as well tary presence in Syria, fear-
worst deal ever." Trump has Speaking on Fox News transparency. It was built as done other work, though ing it will use its positions to
signaled he will withdraw Tuesday, Netanyahu said on Iran's lies," he said. all that appears to have strike Israel. Israel has been
from the agreement by Israel had obtained the The initial European reac- stopped in 2009. suspected in a pair of air-
May 12 if it is not renegoti- documents in February tion, however, was cool. Responding to Netanyahu's strikes on Iranian targets
ated and changed. and shared all of the infor- Britain's foreign minister, speech, the IAEA issued a in recent weeks, though it
Netanyahu's presentation mation with the U.S. Boris Johnson, said Netan- statement Tuesday reaf- has not confirmed involve-
late Monday, delivered in Netanyahu said the trove yahu's presentation "un- firming that "the agency ment, and Iran has threat-
English on live TV and mak- of documents showed that derlines the importance" of had no credible indications ened revenge.q