Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad ZarifReuters

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Saturday that “scaremongering” by Prime Binister Binyamin Netanyahu won’t stop the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 world powers from reaching a nuclear deal.

“Through scaremongering, falsification, propaganda and creating a false atmosphere even inside other countries, [Israel] is attempting to prevent peace,” Zarif told reporters during a joint news conference with his Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni. “I believe that these attempts are in vain and should not impede reaching a [nuclear] agreement,” he said, in reference to Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress Tuesday.

“Netanyahu is opposed to any solution and [his planned speech to Congress] signifies his attempts to use an untrue issue and a fabricated crisis to cover up realities in our region, including the occupation [and] suppression of the Palestinian people, violation of rights of Palestinians and continuation of invasive policies,” Zarif added.

The US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany hope to reach a rough draft of a deal on Iran’s nuclear program by the end of March, and a final agreement by June 30.