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Netanyahu to Putin: Iranian nukes pose "grave danger"

25 June 2012 19:08 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said that both Israel and Russia agree that " nuclear weapons in Iranian hands pose a danger to Israel and the entire world," APA reports quoting Xinhua

Netanyahu, speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Jerusalem, reiterated his oft- stated demand that Iran halt its uranium enrichment program, transfer all enriched uranium out of the country, and disassemble its underground nuclear facilities.

"I believe that we should be doing two things now: boosting the sanctions and also boosting the demands," Netanyahu said, referring to a series of commerce, banking and oil restrictions against the Iranian government.

Putin, who is visiting the region on a one-day visit and who spoke before Netanyahu, said they "spoke in detail about the Syria issue and about the Iranian nuclear program."

After a meeting between the two leaders which ran on, Putin said that he felt he was "among friends," adding that the ties between Israel and Russia were ones of "deep friendship, not something that will pass, and that will endure in the future."

"We held a thorough discussion of the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, and, even in the current situation, I estimate that we will continue to consult and work together, and that these issues will be resolved peaceful for the good of all sides," Putin added.

"I’m convinced that the cooperation between Russia and Israel will develop later as well, and this matter certainly meets the demands and interests of both states, in the region and in the world at large," the Russian leader said.

Putin later thanked Israel for inviting him to visit. "My visit here reinforced the assumption that we have friendly relations, and these are not just friendly relations," Putin said. "This is a solid basis for building dialogue and partnership."

Earlier in the day, at a ceremony in Netanya to consecrate a memorial to eight million Russian soldiers killed when fighting the Nazis in WWII, Israel’s President Shimon Peres said the "Red Army prevented the world from being brought to its knees."

Peres said he was certain that modern-day Russia would not tolerate similar threats, "not an Iranian threat and not bloodshed in Syria."