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Iran Vows 'Surprising' Response to Israel Amid Nuclear Deal Tensions

Iranian Defense Minister Amir Khatami has commented on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that Israel's intelligence had obtained thousands of documents proving that Tehran has been secretly developing a nuclear weapons program.
Sputnik

On Tuesday, Khatami slammed Netanyahu's speech as "Israel's provocative actions" and promised that Tehran would take actions in response.

"This is our warning to the regime occupying Jerusalem and its supporters – stop your dangerous behavior. The Iranian response will be surprising and you will regret it," Khatami stressed, as cited by Haaretz.

The comment comes after Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif mocked Netanyahu's remarks on Twitter, saying that Israel's revelations came in the run-up to the Trump administration's planned announcement regarding the Iran nuclear deal on May 12.

Netanyahu stated on Monday that Tehran had been cheating despite signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), by continuing to develop its nuclear weapons for future use. Israel has obtained about 100,000 files allegedly proving that the nuclear program had a military dimension called the "Amad Project," despite Iran being obliged to maintain a strictly peaceful program under the agreement.

Netanyahu's Charges Against Iran Not New, Dealt With by IAEA - Iranian Minister
The revelations come amid heightened tensions over the JCPOA, with the US administration considering withdrawing from the deal. President Trump has commented on Netanyahu's speech, saying that he hasn't rule out Washington leaving the accord. At the same time, France, the United Kingdom and Russia have called for the preservation of the agreement.

Meanwhile, Israel on Tuesday invited teams of experts from Germany, the United Kingdom and France to examine Israel's intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program. A high-ranking Israeli source also told Sputnik that Benjamin Netanyahu had informed Russian President Vladimir Putin about the data and invited a team of experts to assess the documents.

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