The
Jerusalem Post
By LAHAV HARKOV, TOVAH LAZAROFF
Iran will be able to break out to a nuclear
weapon within 10 weeks, Defense Minister Benny Gantz told diplomats from UN
Security Council member states on Wednesday.
“Iran has violated all of the guidelines
set in the JCPOA [nuclear agreement] and is only around 10 weeks away from
acquiring weapons-grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon,” Gantz
warned.
“Therefore,” he added, “it is time to act.
The world must apply economic sanctions and take operative action against
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
In recent weeks, top Israeli officials,
including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Gantz
have expressed alarm to the US and others that Iran is taking advantage of a
long pause in negotiations to return to the JCPOA to dramatically advance its
nuclear program. The talks have been on hold since June, and the regime in
Tehran says they will not restart at least until after its new president,
Ebrahim Raisi, forms a new government later this month.
Gantz’s remarks were made in a presentation
with Lapid to diplomats from UN Security Council member states on Wednesday, as
part of a push by Israel for the UNSC to sanction Iran for its maritime
attacks, including on the Mercer Street, which is managed by an Israeli
company, and Asphalt Princess in the Gulf in the past week.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin
Farhan Al Saud repeated Riyadh's stance at a virtual conference of the Aspen
Security Forum on Tuesday that it could live with a "longer and
stronger" version of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers if it
ensured Tehran never obtained nuclear arms know-how.
"We certainly support a deal with Iran
as long as that deal ensures that Iran will not now or ever gain access to
nuclear weapons technology," he said, saying Riyadh would welcome an Iran
that contributed to regional stability and prosperity.
"But that would require (Iran)
engaging in the region as a state actor in a normal way..., not supporting
militias, not sending weapons to armed groups, and most importantly, giving up
a nuclear program which might be used... to develop nuclear weapons."
Reuters contributed to this report
My comment:
If this is
true Israel has no choice but to preempt.
