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Israeli leaders and the intelligence community are carefully monitoring ongoing talks between the White House and Iran, concerned a deal with Tehran would detract attention from Iran’s zealous nuclear aspirations. In an interview with ABC News, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed some of those concerns.

Following is an extract from Mr. Netanyahu’s statements:

“We’re doing everything we can to influence people not to make a bad deal and of course such a deal is something that would, would leave Iran with the capacity to threaten everyone. You know, they’re developing ICBMs, intercontinental ballistic missiles. Why in heaven’s name does Iran need intercontinental ballistic missiles?

“They don’t need those missiles to reach Israel. They need it to reach Europe and the United States, and the only thing you carry on intercontinental ballistic missiles are nuclear warheads. So I think that the issue here is not merely Israel, but everyone, the entire world, all of the – or nearly all of the regimes in the Middle East, with the exception of the Syrian regime – and everybody else, they understand that this is a great danger. Israel itself will always reserve the right to defend itself against any threat with its own power”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)