Netanyahu Compares Iran's Policies in the Region to Nazi Germany

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a speech on Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, compared Iran's policies in the region to the behavior of Nazi Germany and warned once again that Tehran must be stopped from acquiring nuclear weapons. On April 15, Netanyahu drew a connection between the genocide of Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II and Tehran's nuclear program, along with statements from some Iranian officials regarding the necessity of Israel's destruction. According to the Associated Press, he stated, 'Just as the Nazis sought to trample civilization and replace it with a 'master race' by exterminating the Jews, Iran is also trying to gain more power in the region with the declared aim of destroying the Jewish state.' Iranian officials, including the Supreme Leader and former President of the Islamic Republic, have at times spoken harshly against Tel Aviv's policies, referring to a 'fateful war' with it or its 'eradication.' These sentiments have also been echoed in some statements by senior military officials in the country. Iran has consistently denied any attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. Currently, global powers are negotiating to finalize an agreement with Iran that would objectively verify the peaceful nature and overall integrity of Iran's nuclear program. Tel Aviv, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is one of the main critics of these negotiations and the potential agreement, describes it as a bad deal that does not prevent Tehran from arming itself with nuclear weapons. On Wednesday, Netanyahu stated, 'Instead of asking Iran to significantly dismantle its nuclear capacity and link the lifting of sanctions to its end of violent behavior, global powers have left Iran with its nuclear capabilities and even allow it to expand them in the future, regardless of its actions in the Middle East and the world.' Netanyahu had previously urged global powers to lift pressures on Iran if Tehran agrees to recognize Israel's existence. However, this issue elicited a response from the U.S. President. Barack Obama stated on April 6, 'The notion that we would require Iran to recognize Israel in an agreement that proves the non-military nature of its nuclear program is akin to saying we will not sign any agreement with Iran until the nature of the Iranian regime fundamentally changes.' He remarked that such a stance is 'an inherently unreasonable judgment.'