Officials in Prime Minister Netanyahu's circle fear the emerging US-Iran nuclear deal will resemble the 2015 Obama-era agreement by allowing Iran to keep enriched uranium on its soil rather than removing it, according to a report. A senior US official estimates an 85% chance of signing in the coming days, and the US has pledged Israel will retain the right to self-defense.
A new report Friday morning by Dana Weiss details Israeli concerns over the shape of the emerging US-Iran nuclear agreement. Officials in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's circle fear that President Trump may settle for diluting Iran's enriched uranium stockpile rather than removing it from the country—a framework they say resembles the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiated under President Barack Obama.
A senior U.S. official told Israeli media that there is an 85% chance of signing the memorandum of understanding in the coming days. The same official has assured Israel that the deal will preserve its right to self-defense. As The Zioneer reported over the past week, multiple U.S. signals have indicated the administration views domestic dilution of the enriched material as acceptable, marking a shift from earlier demands for removal. Netanyahu himself has stated he is exercising Israel's self-defense rights in his ongoing talks with Trump.
The report comes amid a flurry of U.S. previews of the deal's terms. Israeli security officials are watching closely for whether the final text includes enforceable mechanisms for inspections and the prevention of Iranian terror financing, which the U.S. has also addressed in recent briefings. The exact terms of the dilution framework remain unconfirmed.
- DevelopingWhite House senior official estimates 85% chance of Iran deal, outlines terms
- StrongSenior US official: agreement reached on destruction of enriched uranium, confident Israel will cooperate
- StrongTrump commits to Netanyahu: final Iran deal to dismantle enrichment, curb missiles and proxies
- ConfirmedSenior US official: Deal expected within days, US to receive all enriched uranium
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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