Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Jerusalem would not allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to put – what he defined as “a noose of terror” around Israel’s neck, and will act without hesitation to defend itself. In an address to a panel of the annual Munich Security Conference, the Netanyahu emphasized that Israel would act if necessary, not just against Iran’s proxies, but against the Islamic republic itself. “Israel will not allow Iran’s regime to put a noose of terror around our neck. We will act without hesitation to defend ourselves. And we will act if necessary not just against Iran’s proxies, that are attacking us, but against Iran itself,” Netanyahu said.

While Netanyahu reiterated Iran’s dangerous activities across the Middle East constitute destabilizing actions that pose a direct threat toward Israel and its Arab neighbor, the Prime Minister warned that Tehran posed a danger to the entire world as well, mentioning a statement by the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, who said that the Islamic republic of was on the path to assert its Islamic rule worldwide. “The commander of the Revolutionary Guard, Ali Jaffrey, said we’re on the path to the rule of Islam worldwide. That means right here too. This is in my judgement the greatest threat to our world, not just to Israel, not just to our Arab neighbors. Not just to Muslims far and wide. But to you as well. Because once armed with nuclear weapons Iran’s aggression will be unchecked. And it will encompass the entire world,” Netanyahu said.

The Israeli Prime Minister mentioned an ironic development, however, which he termed as “a positive consequence of Iran’s growing aggression in the region,” pointing to the improving relations Jerusalem has with its Sunni-Muslim neighbors that view Iran as an ultimate threat to their stability, which “paradoxically” may well lead to a broader peace agreement with Israel. “Now, there has been one positive consequence of Iran’s growing aggression in the region. It has brought Arabs and Israelis closer together as never before. And in a paradoxical way, this may pave the way for a broader peace and ultimately also for a Palestinian-Israeli peace,” Netanyahu said.

 

In response to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif declared the allegations against his country were untrue. Zarif stressed that those allegations were as part of an attempt by Iran’s enemies to create an impression in which the Islamic republic seeks to assert its hegemony by means of devouring the entire region – a course of actions the Iranian top diplomat emphasized was “no longer feasible.” “Some have found their interest best served by creating this impression and you will see, you have seen that in the morning, you will see that again in the speech after me, that there is an interest in showing that there is a disaster happening in the region, that Iran is devouring the entire region, which is not the case. We don’t believe in that we don’t believe that is in our interest, we don’t believe that, we don’t believe that’s possible. Let’s be realistic. I mean it’s not out of the goodness of anybody, it’s just the possibilities it’s not feasible. Hegemony is no longer feasible. So, we need to start talking,” Zarif said.

 

Minister Zarif also took the opportunity to lambast Israel, which he claimed, ‘uses an illegal policy of aggression against its neighbors.’ “Israel uses aggression as a policy against his neighbors, mass reprisals against his neighbor, daily incursions into Syria, Lebanon and other Arab countries. Daily bombardments, or only routine bombardments of Syria. And once somebody, the Syrians, have the guts to shoot to down one of its planes, it’s as if a disaster has happened,” Zarif said.

 

Meanwhile, around 50 people took part in a protest against the Iranian regime – a protest that was organized by the National Council of resistance of Iran. The protest took place on Munich’s Stachus square in close proximity to the conference’s venue and was timed to coincide with the speech of the Iranian top diplomat.