Israel: “All options are on the table” to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons

MUNICH (Reuters) – Israel requested that the international community do more to curb Tehran’s proliferation of cutting-edge weaponry on Friday, stating that “all feasible methods” were on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

Since September, negotiations to relaunch the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and other international powers have come to a standstill.

When all parties seemed to be close to an agreement, Western powers accuse Iran of making unreasonable demands, yet Iran has continued to advance its nuclear programme in the absence of any significant progress.

Last month, the UN nuclear watchdog reprimanded Iran for making an unannounced adjustment to the link between the two clusters of cutting-edge machinery at its Fordow facility that enrich uranium to up to 60% purity, or almost weapons grade.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “When we speak of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, we must keep all possible means – I repeat, all possible means – on the table.” Gallant was speaking at a gathering with representatives from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on the fringes of the Munich Security Conference.

Abu Dhabi’s index rises on the Adnoc Gas IPO, but Dubai declines.
Yoav said that Iran was escalating the spread of modern weaponry outside of the area despite an embargo that prohibits the sale and acquisition of sophisticated military equipment and places limitations on missiles and associated technology until October 2023.

He mentioned Belarus and Venezuela and stated, “Iran is now having conversations to sell modern weaponry, including UAVs and PGMs, to no fewer than 50 different nations.”

The international community has to develop a workable system of deterrence and repercussions as a viable replacement for the ailing embargo, he added.

Israel won’t confirm or deny that it has a nuclear arsenal, although this is commonly considered to be the case.

In exchange for the removal of international sanctions, the 2015 deal restricted Iran’s uranium enrichment programme to make it more difficult for Tehran to manufacture nuclear weapons. Iran claims that its continued nuclear energy development was done for benign purposes.

Tensions with the West have risen as a result of Iran’s crackdown on protestors and the sale of drones to Russia for use in its conflict with Ukraine. The West claims that Iran is transferring drones in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution.

Regarding the deliveries of drones, the United States and the European Union have slapped a wide range of penalties on Iran. The development of drones used against Ukraine has resulted in sanctions from the EU on those connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.