Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Monday evening (28 October 2013), at his Jerusalem office, with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and said at the start of their meeting:

"We are a partnership of peoples and a partnership of interests, and the key interest is fighting terrorism. I can say that the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world is Iran, and this same Iran is now on a quest to preserve its program to achieve nuclear weapons.

I just heard Iranian officials that the talks, the most recent round of talks were useful and constructive. Well, I’m sure for Iran it’s useful and constructive, because they just win time in order to continue their enrichment program to create fissile material for nuclear weapons. I think the talks will be useful and constructive when the pressure on Iran will get them to cease and desist their nuclear program, to stop enrichment, to stop their heavy water plutonium reactor, both of these are used only for nuclear weapons. They’re not needed for civilian nuclear energy.

This is our goal, to see a peaceful settlement of Iran without nuclear weapons, but Iran must be without nuclear weapons. This is something that we are committed to and we stand by this goal. This is important for us Mr. President, but I believe it’s important for Nigeria, I believe it’s important for Africa, for the countries of the Middle East, and for the world. Iran with nuclear weapons will threaten all of us, and will threaten the peace of the world. So we are committed to preventing that."


Earlier, President Shimon Peres met with Nigerian President Jonathan and said:

"The world bears witness to a growing, thriving Nigeria. This country is leaping towards fulfilling its economic goals, and becoming a leading nation in the African continent. This is an example and inspiration for many countries around us. Israel and Nigeria are partners in progress, hoping to positively influence our neighboring countries and the entire region."