LONDON: Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has said Iran would be 鈥渋nfinitely more dangerous鈥� than North Korea should it develop nuclear weapons, pointing to Tehran鈥檚 aim for 鈥渨orld domination.鈥�
Netanyahu, speaking at the Chatham House think-tank in London, pointed to Iran鈥檚 backing of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and Shiite militias in Iraq.
鈥淭he one potent force in militant Islam that has emerged is Iran. And it is devouring one nation after the other. It is doing so either by direct conflict, or more usually by using proxies,鈥� Netanyahu said.
鈥淭he good news is that the other guys are getting together with Israel as never before.鈥�
Pointing to a large map behind the stage at Chatham House, Netanyahu illustrated Iran鈥檚 apparent plan for a so-called Shiite crescent extending to Israel鈥檚 borders.
鈥淭hey have actually a conception of world domination that should have gone out the window with the last religious wars,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 something 鈥� irrational and dangerous in such a cause.鈥�
Netanyahu said a 鈥渘ew alliance鈥� has emerged between his country and the Sunni Arab states to combat an 鈥渋rrational and dangerous鈥� Iran.
Most Arab states do not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, but Netanyahu said ties have been growing stronger due to the perceived threat from Tehran.
鈥淭here is something that I wouldn鈥檛 have expected in my lifetime, but we are working very hard to establish, and that is an affective alliance between Israel and the moderate Sunni states to (combat) the aggression from Iran,鈥� he told the audience in London.
Netanyahu said that the 鈥渘ew alliance between Israel and the Sunni states鈥� was not dependent on peace with Palestinians, but could lead to it.
He described the shift in Arab-Israeli relations as 鈥渄ramatic,鈥� adding that 鈥渁ttitudes to Israel are mellowing considerably鈥� in the Arabian Gulf amid heightened tensions with Tehran.
States such as 黑料社区, the UAE and Bahrain have accused Iran of meddling in other countries鈥� affairs and see Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism.
鈥淲hen Arabs and Israelis are saying the same thing, it鈥檚 worth paying attention to it,鈥� Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu鈥檚 lecture came the day after he joined his British counterpart Theresa May at a dinner celebrating the Balfour Declaration of 1917.
The controversial document offered Britain鈥檚 support for 鈥渢he establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.鈥�
Netanyahu said on Friday he hoped a US peace initiative on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will work.
Asked if he felt now was the moment for peace in the region, noting US President Donald Trump鈥檚 involvement in peace efforts, he said: 鈥淗ope so.鈥�
鈥淲hat鈥檚 being discussed now is an American initiative. Obviously we make our interests and our concerns known to Mr.Trump. He鈥檚 coming with a sort of refreshing 鈥榗an-do鈥� ... they鈥檙e trying to think out of the box,鈥� Netanyahu said.