Netanyahu: The Partnership Between the Islamic Republic and Russia is 'Disturbing'

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, described the partnership between the Islamic Republic and Russia as 'disturbing' in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. He stated, 'This weapon or relationship provides the Islamic Republic with tools to advance its goals against Israel or other Arab countries and others.' Mr. Netanyahu mentioned that he has conveyed his concerns to the Russians as well. The Israeli Prime Minister emphasized that his country is not neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war and has security concerns regarding Israel. He said that Israel is helping Ukraine by providing a civilian warning system that sends half of the country to shelters with the launch of any missile, but at the same time, he is worried that the systems provided to Ukraine could fall into the hands of the Islamic Republic, be 'reverse-engineered,' and threaten Israel with its own systems. Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out that 'this is not a theoretical threat,' and Israel has experienced it with Western systems, including anti-tank systems, which are now seen at its borders with Hezbollah. He added that 20,000 missiles have been fired towards the densely populated country of Israel, which is the size of New Jersey, but due to the existence of the 'Iron Dome' air defense system, which intercepts 95% of missiles, there have been few casualties. Mr. Netanyahu stated, 'Now, if this system falls into the hands of the Islamic Republic, millions of Israelis will be left defenseless.' The Israeli Prime Minister said that while he expresses sympathy for Ukraine, he must first consider Israel's interests. He emphasized, 'My priority is to ensure Israel's security. Our pilots fly alongside Russian pilots over Syrian skies to prevent Iran from establishing a second Hezbollah front in Syria.' Regarding the possibility of Iran attempting to build a nuclear bomb, Mr. Netanyahu responded, 'There is more than one sign.' He added, 'I sent Mossad to the heart of Tehran. They brought back Iran's secret nuclear archive, and the first document in this archive stated that Iran's goal in 2003 was to build 5-kiloton bombs. This means five Hiroshima bombs, and therefore you can assume that they have not abandoned this goal as they continue to enrich.' Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the likelihood of renewed diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic and whether this would be a 'small agreement' or a revival of the old nuclear deal, the JCPOA, stating, 'Any agreement with the Islamic Republic that does not dismantle its nuclear infrastructure will not be beneficial.' He noted that Ali Khamenei has called for the preservation of nuclear infrastructure, saying, 'An agreement that brings hundreds of billions of dollars to the Islamic Republic and allows them to remove all enrichment limitations within two or three years is a much worse agreement.' Benjamin Netanyahu stated that whether it is a maximalist agreement or a smaller one, neither will prevent Israel from defending itself against a regime that openly states its intention to destroy it.