Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warmly welcomed the results of the Singapore summit, held by U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un. In a televised statement commending President Trump, Netanyahu drew a comparison between the American leader’s policy toward North Korea and his policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran, referring to Trump’s stance as “an important development for Israel, the region and the entire world.” “I commend US President Donald Trump on the historic summit in Singapore. This is an important step in the effort to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. President Trump has also taken a strong stand against Iran’s efforts to arm itself with nuclear weapons and against its aggression in the Middle East. This is already affecting the Iranian economy. President Trump’s policy is an important development for Israel, the region and the entire world,” Netanyahu said.
Following the summit, President Trump declared his administration’s ability to “get it done” when it comes to solving North Korea’s nuclear issue; while noting that during the next week, his team will hold meetings to hammer-out the details of a viable accord. “We are getting together next week to go onto the details, Secretary Pompeo next week, with John Bolton and our entire team to go over the details to get this stuff done. We want to get it done and he wants to get it done. We are also working very much with South Korea, we are working with Japan, we are working with China, to a less extent, but we are working with China,” Trump said.
President Trump also took the opportunity to discuss the nuclear deal with Iran, underscoring an “apparent” change in Iran’s conduct, during the last several months, indicating a loss of confidence in its malign activities across the Middle East. “The Iran deal, I have to be honest, I did it because nuclear is always number one to me. Nuclear is number one. But on Iran deal, I think Iran is a different country now than it was three or four months ago. I don’t think they are looking so much to the Mediterranean, I don’t think they are looking so much yet Syria like they were with total confidence. I don’t think they are so confident right now. But with that being said, I hope that at the appropriate time, after the sanctions kick in — and they are brutal what we have put on Iran – I hope that they are going to come back and negotiate a real deal, because I would like to be able to do that, but right now it is too soon for that,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have reportedly conveyed several messages to North Korea, warning Pyongyang to remain “cautious and suspicious” of President Trump. In a statement directed toward North Korea, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that the Islamic Republic has a very negative view of the United States, accusing the Americans of withdrawing from agreements and breaking promises—an allusion to the nuclear agreement that the Obama administration signed on behalf of the United States with Iran, and which was cancelled by Trump’s new administration. The Chief of Iran’s judiciary Ayatollah Ali Larijani also conveyed a warning to the North Koreans, in which he pointed to President Trump’s untrustworthiness, and described him as a “new pharaoh.” Larijani said “Every pharaoh presents himself as if he is capable of achieving everything and by so doing he defies the will of God and will be punished for his pride.” Furthermore, Larijani went on to say that the only way for Iran to cope with the regional challenges it faces is by means of resistance, while claiming that “The Islamic Republic of Iran is at the peak of its ability.”