Netanyahu claims credit for preventing Trump-Rouhani meet at UN

Prime Minister Netanyahu touches down in Lisbon for a two-day trip that will include meetings with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Portuguese officials.

Speaking to reporters before landing, Netanyahu says sanctions are worsening the economic conditions in Iran, “which will create greater political problems for the regime.”

Weakening Iran is one of Israel’s “key goals” and that’s why he’ll meet Pompeo tonight, Netanyahu says.

He adds he believes there is no chance European countries will join the US sanctions campaign against Tehran, days after chiding Europe for “working to bypass” the sanctions regime.

Netanyahu also takes credit for preventing a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the UN General Assembly last September. He says such a meeting would have strengthened Iran and weakened efforts to get them to change their behavior.

He also says it was he who suggested to Trump to pressure Iran and that the US president “decided to implement this.”

— with Raphael Ahren

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