Netanyahu Says He Has ‘Doubts’ Trump Talks Can ‘Stop Iran’s Nuclear Program’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined CNN anchor Dana Bash on Tuesday to discuss the latest power dynamics in the Middle East and President Donald Trump’s ongoing trip to Turkey. Bash pressed Netanyahu on whether or not he believes Trump can get Iran to give up its nuclear program through diplomacy, and Netanyahu conceded that he has “doubts.”

Netanyahu warned Trump that Turkey is not a friend of the U.S. before Bash turned the conversation to Iran and the ongoing negotiations to end the conflict there.

“I want to talk specifically about Iran for a moment, sir,” Bash said.

“President Trump said the memorandum of understanding with Iran is probably an unconditional surrender. But I—the specific question is, under this MOU, the United States terminates all types of sanctions against Iran. Is this a failure for your country, for Israel?” she asked.

Netanyahu replied, “Look, I think it’s too early to say what will happen. The president believes that he can stop Iran’s nuclear program, which is a nuclear program to create atomic bombs. He believes that he can do this through negotiations and various pressures.”

Bash interjected, “Do you?”

“Look, I have my doubts, but I think he should be given the chance. And he’s trying to do—to achieve that. And we—it remains to be seen,” Netanyahu continued, adding:

But I have said, and, by the way, I think President Trump has said too, that deal or no deal, I certainly will not let Iran have nuclear weapons, and that is also the president’s position.

Bash followed up, “In 2015, I was there. I remember that you came to the U.S. and spoke to Congress over the objection of President Obama because of your opposition to that Iran deal, the JCPOA. You specifically mentioned the deal’s sanction relief in that speech. What’s different about now?”

Netanyahu replied, “I think Iran—look, our combined action, the U.S. and Israeli action today, destroyed—I think the lowest estimates are $400 billion—of the regime’s infrastructure, and some say as much as three-quarters of a trillion dollars or even a trillion dollars.”

“So I think what is being discussed now are very small numbers. Admittedly, any number is a high number as far—as far as countries like Israel and others see it, but it is not—it’s not going to allow Iran to reestablish itself,” continued the Israeli leader, adding:

The question remains: at the end of the negotiations, if there’s a deal struck, then you have to see—does the deal actually meet the main goals, the most important one being ending Iran’s nuclear program, taking out the enriched material, dismantling the enrichment sites?
And there are other things that have to do with proxy warfare and the ballistic missiles. If it achieves that, then, yes, Iran will get sanctions relief, and that would help the regime resuscitate itself.

But I don’t see that happening yet. And I hope that the president will do exactly as he promised to do, to make sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program.

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!