Israeli premier ignores Palestinian issue, urges action against Iran at UN

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Monday that Iran's nuclear program has reached a "watershed moment" and urged the international community to act against Tehran.

In his speech at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, his first at the UN since taking office in June, Bennett ignored the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and instead focused on Iran and its nuclear program.

"Over the past few years, Iran has made a major leap forward in its nuclear R&D [research and development], in its production capacity, and in its enrichment," he said.

Bennett called for further measures by the international community against Iran, saying "words do not stop centrifuges from spinning," adding Iran has crossed "all red lines."

He accused Iran of training armed groups across the Middle East to fly armed drones to be used against Israel.

He also made harsh comments on Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, accusing him of leading a "death commission" in 1988 which was responsible for the killing of 5,000 political activists in Iran.

Israel opposes talks between the world's major powers and Iran on reviving a nuclear deal with Tehran signed in 2015, a deal that Washington abandoned in 2018 during the term of US President Donald Trump.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara