Israel FM says world has ‘obligation' to stop Iran getting nuclear bomb
JERUSALEM: Israel's foreign minister said Friday the world was obliged to stop Iran developing an atomic bomb, days after Israel claimed it had 'thwarted Iran's nuclear project' in a 12-day war.
'Israel acted at the last possible moment against an imminent threat against it, the region and the international community,' Gideon Saar wrote on X.
'The international community now has an obligation to prevent, through any effective means, the world's most extreme regime from obtaining the most dangerous weapon.'
Israel and Iran each claimed victory in the war that ended with a ceasefire on June 24.
The conflict erupted on June 13 when Israel launched a bombing campaign that it said aimed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon – an ambition Iran has consistently denied.
Israel set back Iran nuclear project 'by years': military
Following waves of Israeli attacks on nuclear and military sites, the United States bombed three key facilities, with President Donald Trump insisting it had set Iran's nuclear programme back by 'decades'.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an address to the nation after the ceasefire, announced that 'we have thwarted Iran's nuclear project'.
But there is no consensus as to how effective the strikes were.
Iran on Friday rejected a request by UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi to visit the bombed facilities, saying that it suggested 'malign intent'.
The comments from Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi came after parliament approved a bill suspending cooperation with the UN watchdog.
In a post on X following the move, Saar said Iran 'continues to mislead the international community and actively works to prevent effective oversight of its nuclear programme'.
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