Netanyahu's 'Concern' Over World 'Ignoring' Iran Due to Its Compliance with Commitments

Israeli officials have revealed to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 'worried' that if the recent nuclear agreement from Switzerland serves as the basis for a final deal between Iran and world powers, Iran will demonstrate compliance with its commitments, and 'in that case, the world will no longer view Iran as a threat.' Haaretz reported on Sunday, April 23, that Netanyahu expressed his 'concern' about the world's satisfaction and 'indifference' towards Iran in the event of 'Iran's compliance with its commitments' during an emergency government meeting. This meeting took place on Friday, April 14, a day after the announcement of the Swiss agreement, to determine Israel's position regarding this agreement. Israeli officials, believed to be ministers of the transitional Israeli government, told Haaretz that Netanyahu stated during the meeting, 'If the Iranians comply with their commitments, it will be impossible to catch them deviating from those commitments, and in that case, the imposition of sanctions and long-term oversight of Iran's nuclear plans will be nearly impossible.' Netanyahu also expressed concern that the sanctions imposed over the years against Iran will soon collapse because the world is placing a 'seal of approval' on Iran's nuclear program. According to Haaretz, Netanyahu told his ministers that the likelihood of convincing the international community to impose further sanctions on Iran has significantly weakened, and the only hope is to 'focus on the U.S. Congress.' Israeli officials also informed Haaretz that during the emergency government meeting, it was decided to pressure senators such as Bob Corker and Robert Menendez to advance their proposals for further sanctions against Iran or to limit the U.S. President's powers regarding Iran to congressional approval. Senators Corker and Menendez have previously stated that their proposal would leave Congress with the final say on the potential agreement with Iran. Senator Corker's proposal is set to be voted on in the Senate in the coming days; Barack Obama recently met with this senator and told him and other critics of the recent Swiss agreement to be patient until a final nuclear agreement with Iran is reached. Obama also told Senator Corker that if the final agreement does not guarantee that Iran will not gain access to nuclear weapons, he himself will not approve it, and there is no need for restrictive actions from Congress. In his latest remarks defending the Swiss agreement, Obama explicitly asked Netanyahu what alternative he has to this agreement. On the other hand, Israeli media reported that on Saturday, April 22, Netanyahu once again opposed the Swiss agreement during the final Passover ceremony, claiming that the provisions of this agreement are 'extremely problematic' and have 'fulfilled all of Israel's worst predictions.' In these remarks, Netanyahu claimed that the Swiss agreement does not establish real mechanisms for controlling and overseeing Iran's nuclear program, and it is already clear that the oversight will not be serious, and under these circumstances, sanctions are also rapidly disappearing. While Netanyahu is trying to push for stricter sanctions against Iran through the U.S. Congress, Iranian leaders have emphasized that without the lifting of sanctions, no final agreement will be signed, and they will not allow inspectors into military sites. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last Thursday that if the lifting of sanctions is to be contingent upon another process, then what was the purpose of all these lengthy and difficult negotiations? Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also stated on the same day that without the lifting of sanctions from the first day of the implementation of a potential final agreement, no contract will be signed by Iran.