Netanyahu Lobbies Three States Over Alleged 'Iranian Nuclear Archive'

Commenting on Netanyahu's accusations, Iranian Defense Minister Amir Khatami dismissed them as "Israel’s provocative actions" and promised that Tehran would respond.

According to the Prime Minister's office, "[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu discussed regional issues with world leaders and also updated them on the important material that he revealed regarding the Iranian nuclear archive." 

While Netanyahu blamed Tehran for maintaining a nuclear weapons program despite signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran has responded, alleging that Israel is manipulating Washington's policies to drag the United States into a war with Iran that Israel could start but could not finish.

The EU has expressed concern over Washington's threats to exit the historic agreement, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron visiting the US last week in a reported attempt to "rescue" the Iranian nuclear deal.

"We have the opinion that the JCPOA is a first step that has contributed to slowing down their activities in this particular respect to also establishing a better monitoring process, but we also think from a turning point perspective that this is not sufficient in order to see to it that Iran's ambitions are curbed, contained," Merkel said.

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Following Netanyahu's speech, the White House said in a statement on April 30, that the US backed Israel's efforts and called the details gathered by Israeli intelligence "compelling," which seemed to lend credence to Netanyahu's allegations.

The US President, who has been a long-time critic of the Iran Nuclear Deal, reiterated he would not rule out a US withdrawal from the agreement, while other states, including France and the United Kingdom, have insisted on the preservation of the accords.

Moscow, for its part, announced that it would continue to uphold its commitments under the deal if it is able to and if maintaining adherence to the JCPOA is in Russia's interests.

Commenting on the JCPOA after a possible withdrawal by the US, Director General of the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control at the Russian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Yermakov said, "It might even be easier for us on the economic front because we won't have any limits on economic cooperation with Iran. We would develop bilateral relations in all areas — energy, transport, high-tech, medicine."

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On July 14, 2015, the European Union and the P5+1 group of countries — Russia, the US, France, China and the UK plus Germany — signed the JCPOA with Iran. The deal designates a gradual lifting of anti-Tehran sanctions in exchange for the Islamic Republic conserving the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.