Netanyahu Angered By Rouhani UN Landmark Speech

Local Editor

"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been angered by the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's landmark speech at the UN General Assembly, saying the speech was "cynical".
In a statement issued immediately after the speech on Tuesday, Netanyahu said the address was filled with "hypocrisy".
However, the "Israeli" delegation was not in the hall during the speech.
"Iran thinks that soothing words and token actions will enable it to continue on its path to the bomb," Netanyahu said Tuesday after instructing "Israeli" representatives at the UN not to attend Mr. Rouhani's address to the General Assembly.
"It's a good thing the "Israeli" delegation wasn't in the hall," Netanyahu said, adding "I will not allow the "Israeli" delegation to be part of this cynical public relations..."
Netanyahu also said Iran wants to use the talks to buy time for its alleged nuclear weapons program.

"This is precisely the Iranian plan - to talk and buy time in order to develop the capability of achieving a nuclear weapon," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he would discuss the matter with Obama at a White House meeting next week.

In his address to the UN, Rouhani said the Islamic Republic of Iran poses no threat to the world and Tehran is ready for talks on its nuclear energy program with complete transparency.

"Nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction have no place in Iran's security and defense doctrine, and contradict our fundamental religious and ethical convictions," he said.
Rouhani urged his US counterpart Barack Obama to reject "the short-sighted interest of warmongering pressure groups" if he wants "to manage differences" with Tehran.

Source: News Agencies