UK PM to Netanyahu: Britain opposes cancelling nuclear deal

British Prime Minister Theresa May told the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone call today that the UK is opposed to the cancellation of the nuclear deal signed between Iran and the six Western world powers.

A statement released by the UK PM’s office quoted May as saying that Britain “remains firmly committed to the deal and that we believe it is vitally important for regional security”.

May added that the agreement is important because it “neutralised the possibility of the Iranians acquiring nuclear weapons for more than a decade”.

“Prime Minister [May] said it was important that the deal is carefully monitored and properly enforced, and that both sides deliver on their commitments,” the statement noted.

Read: Trump expected to decertify Iran nuclear deal, official says

During the call, May and Netanyahu “agreed that the international community must address the threat Iran poses to Gulf states and the entire Middle East, and that world nations must act together to stop Iran’s attempt to undermine regional stability,” according to the statement.

A senior Israeli official quoted Netanyahu saying to May during the call that “the deal, as it currently stands, does not allow real oversight of Iran’s nuclear program.”

According to the official, Netanyahu also warned of Iran’s continued regional aggression and of its ballistic missile program.

The phone call between the two leaders comes ahead of the US President Donald Trump’s forthcoming announcement on 15 October regarding the Iran deal. Trump is expected to make a speech in which he will announce that the nuclear agreement does not serve US security interests, and will leave it to the US Congress to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran.

In recent weeks Netanyahu expressed his support to the US withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal, as well as cancelling or amending to the agreement itself.