Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Monday during their meeting in Moscow that Iran is continuing to attempt to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. He also told Putin that Iran is building weapons factories in Lebanon.
The two men spoke after attending a ceremony at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow to mark the 75th anniversary of the uprising of inmates at the Sobibor concentration camp during the Nazi Holocaust of World War II.
Characterizing his meeting with the Russian leader as an “in-depth and good talk” Netanyahu said he told him that Israel views two developments with “utmost gravity.”
Netanyahu said, “First is Iran’s efforts to establish a military presence in Syria and second is Iran’s attempt to manufacture – in Lebanon – precision weapons against the State of Israel.
The prime minister added, “I made it clear to him that we will not agree to either one of these developments and will act according to need.”
The two leaders meet on a regular basis to coordinate Russian and Israeli military activities in Syria. Their last meeting was held at the end of August, 2017.