Israeli Defense Minister: Iran is the Main Challenge Facing the Middle East

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman described Iran as the "main challenge of the Middle East" and Israeli Prime Minister has stated that his recent meeting with the U.S. President emphasized "shared views on regional threats." On Sunday, February 19, during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Lieberman said, "The most important challenge currently facing the Middle East is Iran, Iran, and Iran." According to Israeli media, Lieberman elaborated that "the primary challenges are Iran's nuclear programs, missile development, and the transfer of its weapons throughout the Middle East." He reminded attendees at the Munich Security Conference that Iran had inscribed on long-range missiles it launched last year, including in Hebrew, "Israel must be wiped off the map." Lieberman stated, "Iran has violated Security Council resolutions and is collaborating with North Korea on missile technology." He added that "since 1948, when the State of Israel was established, the Arab world has unanimously declared that not Israel, but Iran is the threat, and Iran has jeopardized the stability of Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia." He called on moderate Sunni Arab countries to "be wary of Iran's ambitions" and to unite with Israel against Iran. Lieberman, who heads the Israeli delegation at the 53rd Munich Security Conference, said, "The main conflict is not between Jews and Muslims; it is between moderates and extremists." U.S. Vice President Mike Pence emphasized during the conference that Iran is the "primary" government supporting terrorism in the region and the world, and the Trump administration is "committed to ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons." These statements came as the Munich Security Conference witnessed remarks from two regional foreign ministers against Iran on its last day. Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, aligned with the U.S. and Israel, called Iran the "biggest supporter of terrorism," while Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister, criticized Iran's "sectarian policies" in the region. In contrast, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who has been present at the Munich Security Conference since Friday, firmly rejected the accusations against Iran in his speeches and international interviews. Meanwhile, the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reported that German officials canceled a discussion session that was supposed to take place on the same day with the joint presence of the Israeli Defense Minister and Mohammad Javad Zarif. Concurrently, according to Israeli media, Benjamin Netanyahu informed his cabinet ministers on Sunday in Jerusalem about the outcomes of his recent negotiations with the U.S. President. Netanyahu, who met with Donald Trump, his Vice President, and U.S. congressional leaders last week, told his cabinet members that he and the U.S. President have a "shared view" on "regional threats." The Israeli Prime Minister also announced the formation of "teams for joint cooperation." Netanyahu and Trump met on Wednesday, February 15, at the White House to discuss "Iranian issues, Syria, Hezbollah, and Israeli-Palestinian peace." In this context, Netanyahu told his cabinet members that his "historic meeting" with the U.S. President marks the "beginning of a new chapter in Israel-U.S. relations" and is in line with the "long-term alliance of the two countries." He added that "the U.S. has recognized opportunities in normalizing relations between Israel and Arab countries." Netanyahu also stated to Fox News on Friday, February 17, that Israel and the U.S. have common goals in standing against Iran. He further told Fox News that "Iran's behavior has become more aggressive after the JCPOA... they want to dominate the world... and are seeking to develop ballistic missiles to target the U.S." He described Iran as having an "extremist" government that simultaneously chants "death to America" and "death to Israel" while trying to "achieve nuclear weapons," and said that when you put the government's policies and actions together, "the problem is bigger." Before returning to his country, Netanyahu also stated in interviews with other American networks that "many Arab countries now see Israel as an ally against Iran." Just before his trip to Washington last week, Netanyahu consulted with British Prime Minister Theresa May about "Iranian threats" and promised to raise "Iranian threats" in his upcoming meeting with the Australian Prime Minister to pave the way for forming an alliance against Iran. On Sunday, February 19, the Israeli Prime Minister will head to Singapore and then to Australia.