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Iran denies secret nuclear weapons site, says Netanyahu 'cries wolf'

Tehran has denied the Israeli prime minister's claims about a purported nuclear site in central Iran, saying the allegation is part of a campaign to ignite a war against the Islamic Republic.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a news conference in Jerusalem September 9, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC1387B39F60

"Israel knows what you’re doing, Israel knows when you’re doing it and Israel knows where you’re doing it,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he addressed Iranian leaders in a televised presser from Jerusalem Sept. 9. He accused Tehran of conducting experiments "to develop nuclear weapons" at the undisclosed site near the central city of Abadeh, in Fars province. According to Netanyahu, Iran has been keeping the international community in the dark about the facility and has demolished it after realizing that Israel detected the activities there. The Israeli prime minister offered no further details.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quick to react, saying Netanyahu was crying wolf. "He and the B-Team just want a war," Zarif posted on his official Twitter account. In Zarif's terminology, the B-Team is a group of like-minded warmongers formed by Netanyahu, outgoing US national security adviser John Bolton, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed. Zarif and many others in the Iranian leadership maintain the four have gone out of their ways to push US President Donald Trump into an all-out war against Tehran.

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