Israel urges Baltics to push EU on Iran

VILNIUS: Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday asked Baltic state leaders for help in convincing the EU to step up pressure on Iran and slammed a Brussels aid package for Teheran.

Lithuania’s prime minister had earlier proposed talks between the EU and Israel on terror threats and security issues amid tensions over Iran and with the Palestinians.

"I unabashedly asked for the help of my friends here in correcting what I think is a distorted position, a distorted view on Israel in the EU," the Israeli premier told reporters at a news conference in Vilnius with his Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts.

Netanyahu said the EU failed to "fully understand" Israeli policy on Iran, insisting that "the decision yesterday by the EU to give 18 million euros to Iran is a big mistake."

"All countries should join the efforts to restore sanctions on Iran in order to press them to stop their aggression and desist on their terrorist activities," he said, hailing the renewed US sanctions on Teheran.

Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the landmark nuclear pact between world powers and Iran on May 8, reinstating Washington’s sanctions on the Islamic Republic and on companies with ties to it. The EU, however, has vowed to keep providing Tehran with the economic benefits it received from the nuclear deal, although many of its bigger companies have already pulled out of Iran for fear of US penalties.

Speaking to AFP, Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said Vilnius would push for Israel’s public security minister to address the EU home affairs council "over terrorism threats and other security issues."

"We want the discussion to happen as it would help to seek compromise on complicated international issues," he said, without going into further detail.

Netanyahu is in Vilnius for a four-day visit -- the first-ever by an Israeli premier -- to boost bilateral ties and build support for Israel’s interests in the Middle East. Although Lithuania backs the EU position on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the status of Jerusalem and the Iran nuclear deal, Skvernelis has said he wants more direct dialogue between the EU and the Jewish state.

Lithuania, one of Israel’s stronger allies in the European Union, was behind Netanyahu’s invitation to meet with EU foreign ministers last December, irking some Brussels officials.