The Guardian / UK: Theresa May has resisted pressure to re-examine the viability of the international nuclear deal with Iran from her Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, who urged her to follow Donald Trump’s example by imposing fresh sanctions.
May also said only a two-state solution could bring about peace in the Middle East, and her spokeswoman said the extension of illegal settlements made a solution more difficult.
Netanyahu had said “responsible” countries should follow Trump in imposing new sanctions against Iran after it test-fired a ballistic missile. But May expressed her concern about Iran’s actions without saying there was a need for sanctions.
At their first meeting in No 10, Netanyahu was canvassing support from the prime minister ahead of a meeting he is due to hold with Trump later this month, which will reveal more about the new US administration’s policy towards the Middle East.
Trump’s spokesman issued a statement last week regretting the expansion of settlements on the West Bank, but some Israelis interpreted the White House remarks as a softening of opposition to the existing settlements.
Before going into No 10, Netanyahu took the rare step of using the traditional “warm words” in front of the cameras to make clear that he wants Britain to take action against Iran. It had been agreed there would be no joint press conference after the meeting.
Standing on the steps of Downing Street he told reporters: “We face challenges, that’s very clear, from militant Islam and especially from Iran. Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the west, it threatens the world. And it offers provocation after provocation.
“That’s why I welcome President Trump’s assistance of new sanctions against Iran, I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. And I’d like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran’s aggression does not go unanswered.”
Following the meeting, May’s official spokeswoman said that the PM had “made clear that we support the deal on nuclear that was agreed”.
Echoing May’s words from a speech in Philadelphia last week, the spokeswoman said: “What needs to happen now is that it needs to be properly enforced and policed and we also need to be alert to Iran’s pattern of destabilising activity in the region.”
The deal, under which sanctions were lifted in return for Tehran giving up its military nuclear ambitions, had “neutralised the possibility of the Iranians acquiring nuclear weapons for more than a decade”, said the PM’s spokeswoman.
May made clear that her top priority for the talks was strengthening trade and investment links before Brexit as well as exploring the potential for a deeper commercial relationship after the UK has left the EU.
She said she believed there was “much more we can do” and it was important to look at how “we can build that relationship”.
May also invited Netanyahu to return to the UK later this year to attend events to mark the 100th anniversary of the Balfour declaration in November.
The Israeli prime minister later went on to meet the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who has described the Iran nuclear deal as one of the achievements of the Obama administration.
