Israel’s foreign minister said on Friday that his country is determined to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon after Tehran promised to step up the uranium enrichment process.
“We will do whatever it takes to prevent extremists [in Iran] to succeed and will certainly prevent this regime from having a nuclear weapon, “Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi told reporters during a visit to Cyprus.
Iranian officials said the country had begun enriching uranium with up to 60% purity following an attack on its nuclear plant at Natanz in central Iran on Sunday, blaming Israel.
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Askenazi, a former army chief, met with Cypriot and Greek foreign ministers Nikos Christodoulides and Nikos Dendias, as well as Anwar Gargash, a top presidential aide in the United Arab Emirates.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates normalized relations in a benchmark deal last year, and the four countries represented at Friday’s meeting vowed to boost cooperation in defense, energy, tourism and other sectors.
Washington, meanwhile, has told Israel on uncertain terms that the “stuttering” about its alleged involvement in the Natanz nuclear plant explosion earlier this week must cease, warning that it is dangerous and harmful, and embarrassing to the Biden administration. Negotiate return to nuclear deal with Tehran, Channel 12 reported on Friday.
The unsourced report said the message had been sent to Jerusalem through several channels in recent days.
The network also quoted anonymous Israeli security officials as expressing concern about the uncharacteristic degree to which Israel has allowed itself to be linked to the attack on the nuclear site. Officials questioned whether the increase was an attempt to undermine the Vienna nuclear talks or perhaps an effort by the prime minister to use Iran for domestic political gains.
Israel has not officially commented on the sabotage at Iran’s main uranium enrichment unit, which an Iranian official said damaged or destroyed thousands of centrifuges.
But there have been plenty of anonymous confirmations in Israeli and foreign media by unnamed intelligence officials, with detailed reports of the bomb attack that reportedly disrupted the centrifuges’ power supply and caused some extensive damage. And officials, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu down, hinted at Israeli responsibility.
Israel is normally completely silent about the secret exploits of its security services, and Israel’s military censor usually prevents the publication of such details, forcing local media to cite foreign media reports, but this it didn’t happen this time.
Iran directly blamed Israel for the attack and vowed revenge.
Amid heightened tensions, Israel’s security cabinet was to meet for the first time on Sunday in about two and a half months to discuss recent developments. High-level forum meetings are usually a weekly issue, but they have been another victim of ongoing dysfunction in the power-sharing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
Iran’s moves come as it tries to put pressure on Vienna negotiators amid negotiations to restore its nuclear deal with world powers following the attack on its main place of enrichment.
Speaking on Friday, US President Joe Biden also called Tehran’s last step against the agreement. “We do not support and do not think it is useful at all,” he said. But he added that the talks in Vienna were not ignored.
“However, we are pleased that Iran has agreed to continue to engage in indirect discussions with us about how we are moving forward and what it takes to return,” he said in the nuclear deal. “It is premature to judge the outcome, but we are still talking.
