Israel warns against resumption of Iran nuclear deal

Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid has warned against a resumption of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, warning that the agreement being negotiated will give Tehran a cash influx which will be used to finance terror.

“Israel is not against any agreement. We are against this agreement because it is a bad one. Because it cannot be accepted as it is written right now,” Mr Lapid told foreign correspondents in Israel on Wednesday.

His comments came amid reports that Iran and world powers are close to renewing the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear programme. Washington withdrew from the agreement in 2018 under president Donald Trump.

Iran has asked for “some adjustments” to the draft agreement submitted by the European Union earlier this month and the US has still to give its final answer.

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The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday he hoped the United States would respond positively as early as this week to the EU proposals.

Tehran has always insisted that its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies it intends to acquire a nuclear bomb.

“On the table right now is a bad deal,” Mr Lapid said. “It would give Iran a hundred billion dollars a year. This money will not build schools or hospitals. This is a hundred billion dollars a year that will be used to undermine stability in the Middle East and spread terror around the globe,” he said.

Israel has not received any update from Washington this week about the state of the nuclear talks, and Israeli political and security officials are frustrated to have found themselves frozen out.

Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz is travelling to Washington tomorrow where he is set to meet national security adviser Jake Sullivan to express Israel’s concern over the emerging deal. “We will do everything we can to influence the deal,” he said.

Israel hopes that the open investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into Iran’s suspicious activities that could be part of a military nuclear programme may delay Washington agreeing to sign the new deal.

Tehran is greatly concerned with these investigations and has called on the agency to stop them. Israeli officials said they were encouraged by remarks made by IAEA director general Rafael Grossi, who said he would not allow political pressure to bring about investigations being closed

Mr Lapid reiterated that Israel remains free to act to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb.

“If a deal is signed, it does not obligate Israel. We will act to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state,” he said.