Netanyahu: No War and No Bad Deal; The Third Way is Increasing Pressure on Iran

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, emphasized that the framework of the Iran and world powers agreement in Lausanne, Switzerland, is a 'bad deal,' stating that 'there is a third way besides war and a bad deal' in confronting Iran, which is 'increasing pressure' on the Islamic Republic. He also mentioned that the Lausanne agreement would ignite an arms race with Sunni countries. On Sunday, April 16, in an interview with CNN, Netanyahu said, 'If a country that has committed to destroy us and works every day with conventional and unconventional means to achieve this goal has an agreement that paves the way for nuclear weapons – many nuclear weapons – this will endanger our survival.' According to Netanyahu, another consequence of this issue would be 'igniting an arms race with Sunni countries.' The French news agency reported that Saudi Arabia is one of the countries that fears if more parts of Iran's nuclear program remain untouched, the Islamic Republic will retain the capability to build nuclear weapons, raising concerns that Riyadh may seek to develop its nuclear capability. Earlier, shortly after the reading of the joint statement by the Iranian Foreign Minister and the EU's foreign policy chief regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, Netanyahu told U.S. President Barack Obama in a phone conversation that this agreement 'seriously endangers the life and survival of Israel.' Netanyahu also stated to CNN that according to the Lausanne agreement, 'Iran's extensive nuclear infrastructure remains intact, not a single centrifuge will be destroyed, not a single nuclear facility, including illegal underground facilities, will be shut down, and thousands of centrifuges will continue uranium enrichment.' He stressed that 'this is a bad deal.' Meanwhile, the U.S. government, led by Barack Obama and John Kerry, the Secretary of State responsible for the nuclear negotiations with Iran, referred to the Lausanne agreement as a 'good deal' that ensures the security of U.S. allies. However, in response to a question from the U.S. President about what solution exists besides diplomacy to resolve the crisis of Iran's nuclear program, Netanyahu said, 'I think the existing alternatives are not just war and a bad deal. There is a third way, which is to stand firm and increase pressure to achieve a better agreement.' Netanyahu explained what he considers a 'good deal' by saying, 'A good deal rolls back Iran's extensive nuclear program, obligates Iran to stop its hostile behavior in the region, global terrorism, and its demands and actions to destroy Israel.' Netanyahu also stated in an interview with ABC that the money that Iran receives due to the easing of sanctions will not benefit the Iranian people. The Israeli Prime Minister said, 'They {the Islamic Republic} will not use this money to build schools, hospitals, or roads. They will use this money to expand their machine of terror and military, which is currently occupying the Middle East.' Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that it has obtained a document showing the Israeli government's official assessment or analysis of the Lausanne agreement. According to this document, which the Associated Press claims to have obtained a copy of from officials in Netanyahu's office, the 'deficiencies and shortcomings' of the Lausanne agreement are listed. The authors of this document stated that the mechanisms provided in the Lausanne agreement, as the West claims, are not sufficient for inspecting Iran's nuclear facilities because terms like 'anywhere and anytime' are not specified in the inspections. The document obtained by the Associated Press states that Israel believes the fate of Iran's enriched uranium reserves is unclear and it is also uncertain how the re-imposition of sanctions would occur if the Islamic Republic does not adhere to the commitments of a potential comprehensive and final agreement.