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Iran lied about not pursuing nuclear weapons, says Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said that in 2017, Iran moved its nuclear weapons files to a highly secret location in Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Iran had lied about not pursuing nuclear weapons and had continued to preserve and expand its nuclear weapons knowledge after signing a 2015 deal with global powers.
“Iran’s leaders repeatedly deny ever pursuing nuclear weapons,” said Netanyahu. “Tonight I’m here to tell you one thing: Iran lied.”
“After signing the nuclear deal in 2015, Iran intensified its efforts to hide its secret files,” he said. “In 2017, Iran moved its nuclear weapons files to a highly secret location in Tehran.”
Netanyahu said that Iran continued to preserve and expand its nuclear weapons knowledge for future use. He also said his government has obtained “half a ton” of secret Iranian documents proving the Tehran government once had a nuclear weapons program.
Iran has denied ever seeking nuclear weapons.
In a nationally televised address, Netanyahu said Israel recently uncovered 55,000 documents and 183 CDs of information from Iran’s “nuclear archives.”
Speaking in English, perhaps with an international audience in mind, he says the material is filled with incriminating evidence showing the Iranian program, called “Project Amad,” was to develop a weapon.
US President Donald Trump is to decide by May 12 whether to pull out of the international deal with Iran. Netanyahu has led calls for Trump to withdraw.
