Netanyahu Says Secret Files Prove Iran Lied About Nuclear Program
Israeli leader makes case against 2015 deal as Trump faces May 12 deadline
By Dov Lieber and Felicia Schwartz
Updated April 30, 2018 2:51 p.m. ET
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented what he said was an archive of documents showing that Iran had a plan to develop nuclear weapons, in Tel Aviv on Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented what he said was an archive of documents showing that Iran had a plan to develop nuclear weapons, in Tel Aviv on Monday. Photo: amir cohen/Reuters
TEL AVIV—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented what he called new evidence that Iran maintained a secret and comprehensive plan to build nuclear weapons but lied repeatedly about it, building a case against the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
The broadside by Mr. Netanyahu on Monday, broadcast in Israel and the U.S., came as President Donald Trump nears a May 12 deadline to decide whether to withdraw from the deal, which halted Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for economic benefits. Mr. Netanyahu said the agreement was a mistake and urged Mr. Trump to do “the right thing.”
Mr. Netanyahu said the documents obtained by Israel, which he said included 100,000 files on paper and stored on and discs, show that “Iran is brazenly lying when it says it never had a nuclear weapons program.”
Mr. Trump said later that he agreed the 2015 nuclear agreement was a mistake, adding it would allow Iran to resume nuclear activities in seven years.
Mr. Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv on Monday, said the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran was a mistake and urged President Donald Trump to do “the right thing.”
Mr. Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv on Monday, said the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran was a mistake and urged President Donald Trump to do “the right thing.” Photo: amir cohen/Reuters
“That is just not an acceptable situation,” Mr. Trump said after he was asked about Mr. Netanyahu’s presentation at a news conference with Nigeria’s president.
“I’m not telling you what I’m doing” with regard to the May 12 deadline, he said.
Iran has denied it was seeking to build nuclear weapons, although many U.S. and international officials have long believed the country’s Islamic government was attempting to do so at one time.
As part of the 2015 nuclear deal, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog conducted a probe of Iran’s previous nuclear work. That investigation was finished in December 2015 and found no credible evidence that Tehran had engaged in recent atomic-weapons activity. But the agency reported that the country had pursued a program in secret until 2009.
Mr. Netanyahu in his comments claimed to have new evidence of Iran’s prior weapons program, displaying replicas of binders and CDs that he said were part of secret files from a bunker in Tehran. He said that Iran’s false denials represented a violation of the 2015 agreement.
The Israeli leader’s comments came a day after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Tel Aviv.
Messrs. Netanyahu and Trump spoke by telephone on Saturday, the White House said.
Mr. Netanyahu said the U.S. has vouched for the authenticity of the materials uncovered by Israel, although there was no immediate confirmation of that from the White House. U.S. intelligence officials and Mr. Pompeo have said that Iran is in compliance with the 2015 agreement.
Write to Felicia Schwartz at
Felicia.Schwartz@wsj.com