Israel, Arab leaders reportedly urged U.S. to bomb IranNovember 30, 2017 - 11:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel and Egypt lobbied the U.S. to bomb Iran before the 2015 nuclear accord was reached, but Washington saw the proposition as a “trap,” former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry revealed Tuesday, November 28 night, Al-Masdar News reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “genuinely agitating towards action” against the Iranian government, Kerry said Tuesday at an event in Washington, according to published reports. The leaders of other Middle East nations, including Egypt, also tried to sway the U.S. into going to war with Iran because bombing the country is “the only thing they [the Iranians] are going to understand,” Kerry said. On the former diplomat’s account, Washington viewed the proposal as a trick. If the U.S. did take such military action against Iran, Kerry believed many Middle East nations would follow up by condemning the U.S. for using excessive military force. Kerry defended the deal struck with Iran to monitor its nuclear production facilities. The deal will prevent Tehran from producing its own nuclear weapon in 10 or 15 years, when certain restrictions in the deal are lifted. After that point, it is uncertain whether Iran will seek to build out their nuclear arsenal, Kerry said. It’s easy to understand, then, why the Israeli prime minister celebrated recent moves against that deal in Washington. Earlier this year, Netanyahu praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s refusal to recertify Iran’s compliance with the deal, though independent auditors and other signatories to the landmark agreement say Iran has been compliant. Trump created an “opportunity to fix this bad deal, to roll back Iran’s aggression and to confront its criminal support of terrorism. That’s why Israel embraces this opportunity,” Netanyahu said following the decertification in October. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. |