Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday, 17 Adar, released the following message to the media ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting regarding ongoing efforts to reach an agreement with Iran.

“Following my speech to Congress, we heard – over the weekend – several of the major powers’ foreign ministers saying that they do not see the need to reach an agreement forthwith and that they will wait until the right agreement is found. I hope that these words will find tangible expression.

“The right agreement is one that links between the lifting of the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program and the cessation of Iran’s terrorist actions around the world and, of course, its threats to annihilate Israel. The right agreement is one that extends by years Iran’s break-out time to achieve a bomb, given the feasibility of violating the agreement.

“As of now, the deal being formulated between Iran and the major powers will allow Iran a break-out time of one year or less. This assessment is based on the State of Israel’s professional intelligence elements, which delivered this assessment to the major powers.

“We will continue to take all possible action to deny the largest terrorist state in the world the ability to produce the most dangerous weapon in the world, a weapon which is aimed – first and foremost – against us.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)