Netanyahu proposes changes to Iran deal

Prime Minister Netanyahu issues a statement on Sunday detailing how “Iran has shown again why it can’t be trusted.”

The Islamic Republic “insists on removing all sanctions immediately. And Iran refuses to allow effective inspections of all its suspect facilities. At the same time, Iran continues its unbridled aggression in the region and its terrorism throughout the world,” Netanyahu says.

Netanyahu proposes to make two main changes to the deal:

First, instead of allowing Iran to preserve and develop its nuclear capabilities, a better deal would significantly roll back these capabilities – for example, by shutting down the illicit underground facilities that Iran concealed for years from the international community. Second, instead of lifting the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear facilities and program at a fixed date, a better deal would link the lifting of these restrictions to an end of Iran’s aggression in the region, its worldwide terrorism and its threats to annihilate Israel.

The prime minister’s comments seem to come in response to US President Barack Obama’s charge, in comments he made Saturday, that Netanyahu lobbies against the deal but has yet to offer an alternative.

“Iran needs a deal more than anyone. Instead of making dangerous concessions to Iran, now is the time for the international community to reassert and fortify its original demands for a better deal,” says Netanyahu.