Israel's Netanyahu says he can prove that 'Iran lied big time' about its nuclear weapons program

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Monday that Iran operates a secret nuclear weapons program, CNN reports, violating the Iran nuclear deal.

Netanyahu made his case at a press conference, where he said he had thousands of files that could prove that the Iran nuclear deal was "based on lies." President Trump spoke with Netanyahu in a Saturday phone call, where the two leaders discussed "threats and challenges facing the Middle East region, especially the problems posed by the Iranian regime's destabilizing activities," a White House statement said.

The Iran nuclear deal, signed in 2015, required the country to disclose its weapons programs. Trump has criticized the deal, which sought to pressure Iran into abandoning nuclear development efforts in exchange for lessened economic sanctions from six world powers. Trump has called the deal "insane," and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week said that the U.S. was "unlikely" to remain in the deal. Pompeo reiterated the aligned views between Israel and the U.S., reports CNN, pledging Sunday to work with Israel in the face of "Iran's dangerous escalation of threats."

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Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is meant only for peaceful purposes, but Netanyahu displayed slides with graphs and photos that he said were proof that Iran "lied big time." On the future of the Iran nuclear deal, the Israeli leader was confident. "I'm sure [Trump will] do the right thing," said Netanyahu. Read more at CNN.