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February 19, 2018

Israeli & Iranian Leaders Clash over Syria Conflict at Munich Security Conference
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Zarif exchanged sharp words on Sunday at an international
security conference in Munich, Germany, a week after the two countries
engaged in a direct military confrontation in Syria. Netanyahu held up a
piece of metal that he claimed came from an Iranian drone which Israel
shot down after it allegedly penetrated Israeli airspace.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "Mr. Zarif, do you recognize this?
You should. It's yours. You can take back with you a message to the
tyrants of Tehran: Do not test Israel's resolve."

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif called Netanyahu's
display "cartoonish" and accused Israel of escalating the threat of
direct military confrontation.

Mohammad Zarif: "Israel uses aggression as a policy against its
neighbors, mass reprisals against its neighbor, daily incursions into
Syria, Lebanon and other Arab countries, daily bombardments, almost
routine bombardments of Syria. And once somebody as the Syrians have the
guts to down one of its planes, it's as if a disaster has happened."



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