Netanyahu: Iran's enrichment capabilities must be dismantled

With negotiations between Iran and six world powers on a permanent nuclear deal set to get underway later this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Iran must not be allowed to maintain its enrichment capabilities.

Speaking at Sunday's cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that to date Iran had benefited from negotiations without giving up anything significant. Netanyahu said the Iranian economy had already responded positively to the easing of sanctions that was part of the interim nuclear deal that was signed in Geneva in November.

Netanyahu said that Iran had continued its aggressive policies both at home, with the executions of innocent people, and abroad, with its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime. Iran also continues to arm terrorist organizations with advanced weaponry and call for the destruction of Israel, the prime minister said.

"Meanwhile, Iran continues research and development of advanced centrifuges," Netanyahu said. "Iran is not willing to give up even one centrifuge."

Israel's goals, Netanyahu said, are clear: to expose Iran's aggressive and unchanging policies and to demand the dismantlement of Iran's enrichment capabilities.

"Iran does not need even a single centrifuge to produce nuclear energy for civilian purposes," Netanyahu said.