Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant delivered remarks last Friday (17.02.23) at the annual Munich Security Conference. Gallant participated too in a panel organized by the Abraham Accords Institute and the Conference of European Rabbis. Minister Gallant was joined by the Emirati Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and the Bahraini Undersecretary for Political Affairs.
“Iran is no longer a ‘local supplier,’ serving proxies in the Middle East. It is a ‘multinational corporation,’ a global exporter of advanced weapons. From Belarus in Eastern Europe, to Venezuela in South America – we have seen Iran delivering UAVs with a range of up to 1000 kilometers. In fact, Iran is currently holding discussions to sell advanced weapons, including UAVs and PGMs, to no less than 50 different countries.”
Minister Gallant called on the international community to take concrete steps in stopping the proliferation of advanced weapons: “All this takes place, while the missile embargo on Iran is still in effect – an embargo that will expire this year. Time is running out, while an evil regime traffics weapons. The international community must create an effective alternative to the dying embargo – a practical mechanism of deterrence and consequences.”
Regarding the Iranian nuclear threat, Minister Gallant said: “When we speak of preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon, we must keep all the possible means – I repeat, all possible means on the table.”
Minister Gallant also touched on the importance of the Abraham Accords: “Over 2 years have passed, since we signed the historic Abraham Accords. We all see their impact – building a new regional architecture.”