Zarif's Reaction to Netanyahu's Statements on 'Iran's Secret Nuclear Information'

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, has reacted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements regarding 'documents and evidence' of Iran's secret nuclear advancements and 'deceiving the world' by Tehran. According to Netanyahu, these documents 'decisively' prove that Iran continues to 'shamelessly deceive' the international community and has moved its nuclear program to secret locations beyond known nuclear sites in Iran after the JCPOA. He claimed to have obtained 'over half a ton of evidence' including 55,000 documents on 183 CDs from Iran's clandestine nuclear research in a project known as 'Imad', calling it a 'major intelligence achievement' of something the 'world has never seen before', without mentioning how these documents were acquired. Netanyahu also stated that he has shared these documents with the United States and will provide them to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He further noted that Iran's missile range has increased from 1,000 kilometers to 2,000 kilometers, putting Riyadh, Tel Aviv, and Moscow within reach, while Iran continues to strive to extend its missile range. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the nuclear deal with Iran will expire after seven years, allowing Iran to pursue nuclear weapons. He added that the nuclear deal permits Iran to move towards building nuclear weapons after seven years, indicating that Netanyahu's actions were 'correct'. Trump emphasized that he will make a decision regarding the nuclear deal by May 12, but this does not mean he is not negotiating for a real agreement. Zarif compared Netanyahu to a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' and criticized Trump for revisiting old claims that the IAEA had previously investigated. Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, labeled Netanyahu's recent statements about Iran's nuclear program as 'theatrical' to influence Trump, noting that the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia are 'unhappy' with the JCPOA. Araghchi described Netanyahu's comments on Iran's 'secret' nuclear activities as 'childish and ridiculous', asserting that the aim is to 'stage a performance to destroy the JCPOA'. He stated that these claims and actions demonstrate how concerned and angry the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia are about the JCPOA and the conditions it has created for Iran. Zarif reiterated that Netanyahu can only mislead people a few times, likening him to the boy who cried wolf. Trump has repeatedly called the JCPOA the 'worst' agreement the U.S. has ever signed, and last December stated that he would not renew U.S. commitments to the agreement unless its 'catastrophic flaws' were addressed. The four-month deadline to meet U.S. and Israeli demands ends on May 22, and despite efforts by European partners like Germany, France, and the UK to keep Trump in the JCPOA, his decision remains uncertain. The leaders of these three countries believe the JCPOA is the best way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, but they are seeking a complementary agreement to control Iran's missile program and military presence in the region after the JCPOA ends. French President Emmanuel Macron presented a four-point plan as a complement to the JCPOA earlier this month, but Iranian officials have rejected it. Israel and Saudi Arabia are key supporters of Trump's stance on making changes to the JCPOA or withdrawing from it. Trump has set four conditions for the U.S. to continue its participation in the JCPOA, including 'immediate access' for international inspectors to all Iranian sites and facilities, making restrictions on Iran's nuclear program permanent, guaranteeing that Iran will not approach nuclear weapons, and limiting Iran's ballistic missile program.