Rivlin slams ‘unacceptable’ world recognition of Iran

President Reuven Rivlin says that the recent global trend of furthering cooperation with Iran is “unacceptable” and flies in the face of Western values.

“The fact that Iran continue to regain more and more legitimacy, while Iranian leadership continue to call for Israel’s destruction is unacceptable,” Rivlin tells an annual gathering of foreign diplomats at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

“This does not promote humanistic values. Values that are at the heart of our peoples, of our countries, and of our friendships,” he says.

Rivlin’s statement come hours before US President Donald Trump is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with the Israeli leader expected to press Trump to dismantle or renegotiate the 2015 nuclear deal which offered Iran relief from punishing sanctions in exchange for having it roll back its nuclear program.