Netanyahu: I am waiting to discuss the very bad Iran nuclear deal with Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he is looking forward to meeting with Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States, to discuss the 'very bad' nuclear deal between Iran and global powers. Mr. Netanyahu made these remarks via video conference on Sunday, December 14, at a conference held at the Brooklyn Institute, which was also attended by current U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. This is the first time since Mr. Trump's election that the Israeli Prime Minister has spoken about the JCPOA. Mr. Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election, will officially begin his term on January 20. According to Israeli media, the Prime Minister stated, 'I am waiting to speak with the elected president to see what we should do about this very bad agreement.' The Jerusalem Post reported that Mr. Netanyahu emphasized that Iran, while advancing its nuclear program, also supports 'terrorism in the world.' During the video conference, Netanyahu was asked: 'Your and Trump’s views on the agreement with Iran are the same. What is your ideal U.S. policy regarding Iran? And is a military strike (on Iran's nuclear facilities) still on Israel's agenda?' Netanyahu responded that regarding Israel's policy, they are 'committed' to ensuring that Iran cannot access nuclear weapons. He stressed, 'When we say we are committed; we know what we are saying; our commitment has not changed and will not change.' According to the Israeli Prime Minister, the JCPOA has led Iran to threaten the U.S., which was one of the members of the P5+1 in reaching the nuclear agreement. Netanyahu continued, 'Israel and Iran are on the same continent, but Iran, alongside its slogan of death to Israel, also says death to America. Iran is building intercontinental missiles for you; and the range of Iran's ballistic missiles will eventually reach America.' Netanyahu and his government have been staunch opponents of the JCPOA. Before the JCPOA, Netanyahu believed that the global powers' negotiations with Iran should lead to 'tightening the last screws of Iran's nuclear program.' However, in recent months, statements from Israeli officials opposing the JCPOA have largely diminished; one reason for this decrease in remarks is the granting of $38 billion in military aid from the U.S. to Israel for a 10-year period. In recent months, Netanyahu has stated that after the nuclear agreement, Iran should be 'carefully monitored' to ensure it adheres to its commitments. Mr. Trump also stated during his election campaign that the JCPOA is 'the worst agreement he has ever seen' and that he would renegotiate it if he came to power. Donald Trump, who met with Benjamin Netanyahu in New York before the U.S. presidential election and praised his policies, invited him for a 'meeting at the White House at the earliest opportunity' after winning the election. The Iran nuclear agreement, which resulted from more than two years of intense negotiations between Iran and six global powers, has faced ambiguity with Mr. Trump's victory. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders have expressed dissatisfaction that the U.S. Congress recently extended unilateral sanctions against Iran for another 10 years, deeming it contrary to the JCPOA or against the 'spirit of the JCPOA.'