Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to Europe on Monday where he will promote his hardline approach on Iran in wake of the United States’ withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement.
He will likely face a stiff response from European leaders who are keen on salvaging the deal.
Netanyahu, a fierce opponent of the agreement and the Iranian regime, will meet in turn with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May.
Germany, France and the United Kingdom are three of the signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between world powers and Iran, aimed at keeping Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The European leaders have been scrambling to preserve the landmark deal after President Donald Trump's May 8 decision to withdraw.
The fallout from America rejecting the accord is likely to dominate the talks, with Netanyahu expected to firmly oppose European efforts to sustain it.
"I will discuss with them ways to block Iran's nuclear aspirations and Iran's expansion in the Middle East," Netanyahu said on Monday of his European meetings, noting the issues were "crucial to Israel's security".
The Israeli leader has brushed aside European insistence that the agreement is the best option to prevent Tehran getting the bomb, claiming that it in fact brought Tehran closer to becoming a nuclear power.
He also argues that a cash influx into Iran following the lifting of international sanctions as part of the accord has fueled the expansion of Tehran's military influence in the region, especially in neighboring Syria.
But while the US retreat from the deal is a personal victory for Netanyahu, it also represents a leap into the unknown for Israel and the broader Middle East.
While foes Iran and Israel have been kept at bay for decades, an unprecedented May 10 escalation in Syria that saw Israel bomb Iranian targets after blaming Tehran for a rocket barrage, has sparked fears of open war.
"An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice," Netanyahu said on Tuesday.
"The long-range missiles that Iran is working to station in Syria will endanger us even beyond the range of several kilometers from southern Syria; therefore, Iran needs to leave Syria altogether."
The Europeans have acknowledged concerns over Iran's regional role and its ballistic activities, but sought to maintain the JCPOA while creating a separate arrangement on these issues.
Contrary to what the U.S. and Israel say, Europe insists the 2015 agreement works and Iran has abided by it.
Meanwhile, NATO's secretary-general said the alliance will not come to Israel's defense in case of an attack by Iran.
Jens Stoltenberg told the magazine Der Spiegel in comments published Saturday that Israel is a partner, but not a member and that NATO's "security guarantee" does not apply to Israel.
Stoltenberg added that NATO is not involved in Mideast peace efforts or in conflicts in the region.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
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