Iran deal threatens Israel's existence

Iran deal threatens Israel's existence, Binyamin Netanyahu tells Obama

Israel prime minister set to convene meeting with senior ministers to discuss framework deal reached between world powers and Iran

Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, will convene a meeting with his senior cabinet ministers and security officials on Friday to discuss the draft agreement between Iran and world powers on Iran’s nuclear programme – a deal that Netanyahu has fiercely condemned as a “threat to Israel’s existence”.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Israeli tactics during the negotiations have left it marginalised and with seriously diminished leverage to alter the outcome if the deal is ratified at the end of June.

In a statement released in the early hours of Friday morning after Barack Obama called the Israeli PM to discuss the deal, Netanyahu said: “A deal that is based on this framework will threaten Israel’s existence … The alternative is to stand firmly and increase pressure on Iran until a better deal is reached.

“This deal would legitimise Iran’s nuclear programme, bolster Iran’s economy and increase Iran’s aggression and terror throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he said. “It would increase the risks of nuclear proliferation in the region and the risks of a horrific war.”

According to the Israeli prime minister’s office, during the phone conversation Netanyahu referred to comments made by a leader of the hardline Iranian Basij militia that “the destruction of Israel is non-negotiable”.

“In these fateful days Iran is accelerating the arming of its terror proxies to attack Israel,” Netanyahu added.