BICOM

It was announced yesterday that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Barack Obama on 30 September and is expected to address the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York the following day. Netanyahu said that he will use both occasions to highlight the urgency to halting Iran’s nuclear development.

Briefing his cabinet yesterday, Netanyahu gave an overview of his upcoming trip. He then outlined four conditions which he said must be met “to stop Iran’s nuclear programme.” Netanyahu specified them as “Halting all uranium enrichment; removing all enriched uranium; closing [the uranium enrichment facility at] Qom; and stopping the plutonium track,” which is being pursued at the Arak reactor. Netanyahu urged the international community that “until all four of these measures are achieved, the pressure on Iran must be increased and not relaxed, and certainly not eased.”

Netanyahu’s comments come as speculation builds over a greater willingness from Tehran to engage in diplomacy. Media reports this morning say that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has indicated tacit support for possible talks regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme. Earlier this week, President Obama revealed that he had exchanged letters with Iranian President Hassan Rowhani. However, White House spokesman Jay Carney was quick to clarify yesterday that “As of now, the president is not expected to meet his Iranian counterpart at the UN [General] Assembly.” Carney also commented that “Acts speak louder than words” following a report in Der Spiegel which claimed that Rowhani is willing to shut down activity at the secretive Fordow nuclear plant on condition that international sanctions against Iran are lifted.

Echoing similar sentiments in an interview on CNN, Israel’s Finance Minister Yair Lapid commented “I’m happy to listen to any new music coming from Iran… but this has to be backed by not only by words but also by deeds.”