Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his nation’s air assault on Iran final month hit “a element” of Tehran’s nuclear programme and degraded its defence and missile manufacturing capabilities.
“There’s a particular element of their nuclear programme that was hit on this assault,” Netanyahu mentioned in a speech in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Monday with out offering particulars on the ingredient hit.
“The programme itself and its capability to function right here haven’t but been thwarted,” he added.
On October 26, Israeli fighter jets launched three waves of strikes focusing on Iranian army belongings, weeks after Iran had fired about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, saying its assault was in response to Israel’s killings of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah within the southern suburbs of Beirut and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
On the time of Israel’s assault, Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei mentioned the strikes “should not be exaggerated nor downplayed”. United States President Joe Biden mentioned earlier than the strikes came about that he would not support an attack on Iranian nuclear sites, which might open up the potential of an excellent additional escalation within the area.
Along with the declare of an assault on Iran’s nuclear programme, Netanyahu additionally mentioned in Monday’s speech – which was interrupted by relations of Israeli captives held in Gaza – that three Russian-supplied S-300 surface-to-air missile defence batteries stationed close to Tehran had been hit.
Netanyahu mentioned Russia had equipped 4 of the defence batteries to Iran and the opposite one had been destroyed throughout an trade of direct assaults between Iran and Israel in April.
Iran has not commented on the Israeli claims.
Final week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian advised the top of the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, that his authorities was ready to deal with issues about its nuclear programme earlier than US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.
Grossi mentioned attaining “outcomes” in nuclear talks with Iran was important to keep away from a brand new battle within the area already infected by Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon, stressing that Iranian nuclear installations “shouldn’t be attacked”.
Stepping up sanctions
Netanyahu gave his speech because the European Union and the UK on Monday expanded their sanctions towards Iran over its alleged help for Russia’s warfare on Ukraine.
In a transfer decried by Tehran, the EU mentioned it would prohibit the export, switch, provide or sale from the EU to Iran of elements used to make missiles and drones.
It additionally banned any transactions with ports “owned, operated or managed” by sanctioned people and entities or in any other case used to provide Russia with drones, missiles, associated expertise and elements.
“This measure contains the entry to amenities of the ports and locks, corresponding to Amirabad and Anzali, and the supply of any companies to vessels,” the EU mentioned in a press release, referring to 2 Iranian ports on the Caspian Sea.
Because the bloc’s overseas ministers met in Brussels, it additionally adopted restrictive measures towards Iran’s state-run transport firm IRISL, its director Mohammad Reza Khiabani and three Russian transport companies accused of ferrying weapons throughout the Caspian Sea.
Brussels had already imposed sanctions on outstanding Iranian officers and entities, together with airways, accused of aiding Russia’s warfare effort.
Performing in parallel, Britain additionally introduced new sanctions towards Iran, freezing the belongings of IRISL in addition to nationwide airline Iran Air for allegedly transporting ballistic missiles and army provides to Russia to be used in Ukraine.
The British Overseas, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace additionally mentioned the Russian cargo ship Port Olya-3, sanctioned for carrying missiles from Iran to Russia, wouldn’t be allowed to enter any UK port.
“Iran’s makes an attempt to undermine world safety are harmful and unacceptable,” Overseas Secretary David Lammy mentioned in a press release upfront of asserting the sanctions on the United Nations Safety Council. “Alongside our worldwide companions, we had been clear that any switch of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia would face a big response.”
The choice follows a earlier spherical of sanctions towards Iran and Russia that the UK introduced in September alongside Germany and France.
Earlier than the brand new sanctions announcement, Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned on Sunday that the EU was utilizing a “nonexistent missile pretext” to focus on its transport traces.
“There is no such thing as a authorized, logical or ethical foundation for such behaviour. If something, it would solely compel what it ostensibly seeks to stop,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Iran’s economic system has been struggling underneath the load of US sanctions imposed after Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from a landmark nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers in 2018.
On Monday, Iran’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei mentioned Tehran would reply sooner or later.
